MGB ROII joins Estero Cleanup 2019

MGB ROII orients newly appointed employees

The Administrative Section of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office No. II recently spearheaded orientation for the newly appointed employees, personnel hired under contract of service, and On the Job-Trainees (OJT) of the Bureau.

The orientation aims to acquaint the newly appointed employees and OJTs of MGB to its vision and mission, mandates, and MGB ROII organization structure.

Further, Imee Gatan-Agaloos, Human Resource Management Officer of MGB ROII also lectured on the policies of Civil Service Commission (CSC), office’ rules and regulations, and individual commitment and job performance of employees.

“As civil servants, it is our mandate to serve the people efficiently and accompanied with this responsibility is to follow the established rules and regulations of the CSC, Bureau and DENR,” Agaloos emphasized during her lecture.

“Our bad actions will always have setbacks to the Bureau, hence, we need to start our careers right by being punctual and responsible in our jobs,” Agaloos added.

UP Diliman, University of Glasgow forges partnership with Mines Bureau for river morphology study

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan- The University of the Philippines Diliman and University of Glasgow in Scotland has partnered with Mines and Geosciences Bureau in a new research about river morphology and its associated processes that could impact people and infrastructures.

The study will develop a national-scale catchment characteristics database and associated river geometry relations to assess the susceptibility of different catchments to morphological change impacts on flood hazards.Moreover, the study aims to assess flood hazards arising from morphological change associated with variations in sediment supply and the influence of lateral constraints on channel morphological adjustment.

To assess the fluvial and landscape characteristics, the study will use national scale topographic models and repeat satellite imagery.

“To assess flood hazards, project partners will be using high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMS) of the Pinacanauan river and Bacara river from airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and bathymetric surveys,” Chad Aquino, c/geologist of MGB ROII said.

“On our part, MGB will be providing data to the researchers such as rain-induced landslide and flood hazard maps, geologic maps, mining/quarry tenements, and other relevant studies that can support the research,” Aquino added.

The project will be studied from November 2018- November 2021 while the locale of the study will be from Pinacanauan river along with Abuan and Bintacan rivers in Ilagan Isabela to Bacarra river in Ilocos Norte.

The findings of the research will guide river and flood management in the Pinacanauan river and Bacarra catchments.

The study will be undertaken by geomatics and fluvial geomorphology experts from UP Diliman and University of Glasgow, respectively.

Along with MGB, UP Diliman and University of Glasgow likewise forged partnership with Professor Gary Brierly of University of Auckland, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Local Government Units of Ilagan City, Isabela and Municipality of Vintar.

MGB ROII geologists participates in 2019 Geosciences Workshop

To participate in the discussion on geologic data which will be utilized for the current year’s activities, five geologists of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office No. II participated in the 2019 Annual Geosciences Workshop held on 18-22 January 2019 at Xenxia Hotel, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga.

Chief Geologist Felicitas V. Piligan, Supervising Geologist Marie Nelle G. Monteclaro, Senior Geologists: Oliver Hans H. Lapina and Ruvic Anne L. Villarias, and Geologist II Janah Joy J. Vicera attended said geosciences workshop hosted by MGB Regional Office No. III. Discussed during the workshop was the overview and concepts of geoparks. Supervising Science Research Specialist of MGB Central Liza Socorro J. Manzano gave lecture on steps that will help the Philippines in the declaration of geoparks.

On the other hand, Officer in Charge of the Geological Laboratory Services Section Jocelyn C. Villanueva presented the standardized sample index form template to be used by MGB Central Office and its Regional Offices.

MGB Central Geologist Carl Reinier T. Padua likewise discussed the information and communication protocol for disasters for the MGB Operations Center and MGB Quick Response Team (QRT).

Padua emphasized the need of the regional offices to update the geohazard maps whenever natural calamities occur.

Five parallel sessions were conducted to discuss issues on Quadrangle Mapping, Vulnerability and Risk Assessment (VRA) and Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) on VRA, Subsidence Hazard Assessment and Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment, Groundwater Resource and Vulnerability Assessment, and Mineral Reservation Program. After the workshop, Geologists participants went on a three-hour trek to the Pinatubo Crater.