Tuguegarao City, Cagayan – The Regional Development Council 2 conducted the 7th Cagayan Valley Annual Planners Convention. The Convention theme is “Optimizing the Use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Planning, Governance and Disaster Response.” It was held on September 20, 2019 at the Villa Blanca Hotel, Ugac Norte, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. The activity was held in celebration of the 47th founding anniversary of the RDC this September.

Around 150 participants from Local Government Units, Regional Line Agencies, academe, and private sector in the region were in attendance.

Tuguegarao City Councilor Atty. Raymund P. Guzman, representing City Mayor Atty. Jefferson P. Soriano, said in his welcome remarks that the City Government of Tuguegarao recognizes the importance of the use of ICT in strengthening disaster management from information dissemination, reconstruction, and for decision support.

In his opening remarks, RDC2 Acting Chair and NEDA2 Regional Director Dionisio C. Ledres, Jr. underscored that the convention topics are relevant for those who work for local governments and line agencies. The challenge, he said, is not lack of funding but the need for people with innovative minds, who will make use of ICT not only disaster management but in spurring economic growth, creating of new jobs, and transforming cities to become more livable through effective planning. “You need minds who think out of the box, create innovative ways of doing things, and look at new solutions to problems”, he quipped.

DOST2 Regional Director Sancho A. Mabborang, in his keynote address, committed to support the thrust of transforming Region 2 to become ICT savvy, and any endeavor that uses ICT as a tool in transformation processes.

Experts in the fields of ICT, Geographic Information System (GIS), and Remote Sensing (RS) Technology served as resource speakers. The topics covered were: resilient post-disaster communications using ICT; safe city computer-aided dispatch and civilian reporting system; improving local government revenue generation through a tax revenue assessment and collection system database; LiDar-based flood hazard modeling and simulation in Northern Luzon River Basins; 3D GIS trends, technology and applications to planning; and satellite imagery and 3D scan technology.

Aside from presentations, the RPs used demonstration and interactive learning sessions. An exhibit showcased equipment using GIS and RS technologies.# Jun Irigayen, NRO2-DRD