The De La Salle University (DLSU) Manila, Philippines established a new research arm, Center for Engineering and Sustainable Development Research (CESDR), dedicated “to promote, catalyze, and crystallize scientific activities in engineering sciences and technology to achieve strategic advances in complex engineered systems and firm-level technologies necessary for the sustainable development of the country.”

 Professor Andrea Winston C. Oreta, Dr. Renan Ma. T. Tanhueco, and Dr. Lessandro Estelito O. Garciano of CESDR, DLSU visited AIT Consulting (AITC), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in August to discuss the possibility of collaboration between CESDR and AITC. Both organizations have mutually-aligned areas, one of which is Disaster Risk Reduction. DLSU expressed interest to collaborate in this area as the Philippines is challenged by various types of disaster such as typhoons, volcanic eruptions, floods, and earthquakes.

 It was agreed that AITC and CESDR would categorize and share their work conducted in the priority areas as identified in UNISDR’s Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the successor tool to the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) 2005-2015: Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters.

DLSU has a long-term association with AIT through AIT Consulting (AITC) and ACECOMS since 2000. Aside from being an Associate Center of ACECOMS in the Philippines, DLSU has also invited Dr. Naveed Anwar, Executive Director of AITC and ACECOMS as speaker in conferences they organized.