A Lecture-Discussion on Calamities in Southeast Asia
Tuesday, April 22, 2014 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM EDT
Research Hall, Showcase
New Century College (NCC) is sponsoring a lecture-discussion on Calamities in Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines on Tuesday, April 22 from 3:30pm until 5pm at the Showcase Room, Research Hall, Fairfax campus. The resource person is Dr. Ben Malayang III, former Undersecretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Republic of the Philippines. Dr. Malayang is experienced in heading Philippine government missions in Southeast Asia, regional and global multilateral environmental meetings and negotiations with organizations including World Bank, ASEAN-ASOEN, Global Environmental Facility (GEF), Environmental Services Cooperative Agreement (ESCA).
Dr. Malayang holds a PhD in Wildland Resource Science from the University of California at Berkeley. He is currently the president of Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Philippines. Below is an abstract of what Dr. Malayang will present and talk about.
Abstract:
Calamities are presented as complex events. They are comprised by events that happen before, during, and after a calamity. Focus is on three kinds of calamities: typhoons (like Haiyan), earthquake, and outbreaks of hostilities. The first two are natural, the third a failure of peace, politics and reconciliation.
Some ideas will be explained regarding the nature of typhoons, earthquakes and hostilities as complex events –both how they seem the same and yet differ. This is to trigger discussions among the participants on how science and policy (in the case of the three events) apparently play certain roles in determining the degree that calamities become disastrous to life and property. The discussions will focus on the ecological, economic and political aspects of tragedies before, during and after a calamitous event.
The discussions will aim to establish a thesis that calamitous events become disastrous to human life and property because of human failures and failings in being at peace with nature and with themselves.
