The University of San Carlos, in collaboration with the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), and the Philippine APEC Study Center Network (PASCN), hosted a regional symposium on Disruptive Technologies on Wednesday, January 23, 2019, at the Michael Richartz Center in Talamban Campus.

Participants to the event were welcomed by Fr. Dionisio M. Miranda, SVD (USC President) and Dr. Celia M. Reyes (President, PIDS; Lead Convenor, PASCN) followed by a keynote address by Efren B. Carreon (Regional Director, National Economic and Development Authority Region VII). An introduction to the PASCN and the overview of the symposium was given by Dr. Erlinda M. Medalla (Member, Philippine APEC Vision Group Eminent Expert Resource Committee. Former Project Director, PASCN).

The first session moderated by Dr. Sheila V. Siar (PIDS) on “Harnessing Inclusive Opportunities, Embracing the Digital Future” featured two presentations, namely “Going Digital: From Innovation to Inclusive Growth in the Philippines” by Dr. Francis Mark A. Quimba (PIDS Research Fellow, PASCN Project Director), and “Mapping the 4IR At-Risk Workers in the Philippines” by Trsitan A. Canare (Associate Director and Senior Economist, AIM Rizalino S. Navarro Policy Center for Competitiveness).

Dr. Melanie B. de Ocampo (USC School of Business and Economics Dean) moderated the second session on “Transforming Challenges to Seizing Opportunities of Industry 4.0: Academe and Research Institute Perspectives.” This session included presentations from Dr. Joel Joseph S. Marciano Jr. (Director, Advanced Science and Technology Institute, Department of Science and Technology) on “STAMINA4Space—Disruption and Value Creation from Space Technology through data, Industry, and People,” followed by an insight into “Enabling IP Environment in Universities: the USC Experience” presented by Dr. Danilo B. Largo (Director, USC RDEPO; Manager, USC Innovation and Technology Support Office). The session closed with Dr. Siar presenting the “Open Access Agenda and Socio-Economic Research Portal for the Philippines (SERP-P) Project.”

The third and last session on “Embracing Climate Change and Energy Security Issues through Local Innovations” was moderated by Dr. Medalla. This included presentations on DRRM with Project Noah by Dr. Alfredo Mahar Francisco A. Lagmay (Executive Director, UP Resilience Institute), “Development of a Flood Hazard Simulation Model for Flood Risk Assessment” by Dr. Chuchi S. Montenegro (Chair, Department of Computer Science, Silliman University), “Exploring Innovative Ways of Financing for Climate Compatible Development in Asian Cities” by Dr. Catherine Roween C. Almaden (Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Higher Education, Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan), and “Quality of Electrification in Off-Grid Philippine Islets using the World Bank’s Multi-Tier Framework of Energy Access” by Engr. Isabelo A. Rabuya (Project Leader, CHED Newton Fund Institutional Links Grant, USC Center for Research in Energy Systems and Technologies).

USC RDEPO Director Dr. Largo closed the event, while Dr. Corazon G. Anzano acted as master of ceremonies.

with reporting from J. J. Masna, Office of Research

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