2024 Taiwan-Philippines Landslide and Debris Flow Disaster Research Cooperation MOU Signing Ceremony and Workshop/ On-site Visit - Agency of Rural Development and Soil and Water Conservation, MOA

On May 6, 2024, the "2024 Taiwan-Philippines Landslide and Debris Flow Disaster Research Cooperation MOU Signing Ceremony and Workshop " was held at Conference Room 1011 of the Ministry of Agriculture. The event attracted over 70 officials and scholars from Taiwan and the Philippines. During the workshop, four officials and scholars from both countries shared experiences on deep-seated collapse and landslide early warning techniques, and delved into the analysis of geological disasters. The exchange of ideas laid the foundation for future collaboration as both sides showed keen interest in each other's early warning mechanisms and research methods.

At the signing ceremony, the memorandum was signed by Wallace M. G. Chow, the ambassador of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines and Silvestre H. Bello III, the chairman and resident representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office. The event garnered support from various quarters, including a congratulatory video from Renato Solidum Jr., the secretary of Department of Science and Technology (DOST), as well as witnesses from Wen-Jane Tu, the Deputy Minister of Ministry of Agriculture, Chen-Yang Lee, the director-general of Agency of Rural Development and Soil and Water Conservation (ARDSWC), and Dr. Teresito C. Bacolcol, the director of Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

The memorandum covers areas such as soil and water conservation techniques, geological disaster research, assessment of climate change impacts and adaptation strategies, as well as the application of big data and artificial intelligence in disaster management. Both sides will engage in concrete projects such as workshops and educational training, based on scientific research and technological innovation, to enhance their ability to respond to mountain collapse and landslide disasters, creating a safer and better living environment.

Regarding the on-site visits, from May 7 to May 9, the Philippine delegation visited the emergency action teams of ARDSWC, focusing on Taiwan's achievements in disaster management, particularly in landslide prevention. They visited the Huashan Landslide Educational Park, the large-scale collapse potential areas in Jianshi, Meihua, and Shiding, where they gained insights into Taiwan's practices in landslide prevention and community rebuilding. The delegation was impressed by the public-private partnership model for reconstruction. Additionally, they were guided to visit the O-2 large-caliber collection well in Dalun Mountain, where they were impressed by the detailed monitoring records used for subsequent remediation. In rural development, the delegation was led to Daping Community in Xinpu, Hsinchu, where they learned about community-building efforts between the public sector, local organizations, and residents. They also visited UNCLE WELL TEA and Taipei City's Tiehkuanyin Tea Research and Promotion Center, where they were introduced to the production process and development history of Tiehkuanyin tea, as well as the production and brewing process of boutique hand-drip tea bags. These exchange activities contributed to a better understanding of each other's work and laid a solid foundation for future collaboration.