By Keziah Loucille Mallorca, SIAP Formator

Speakers and participants gathered for a group photo to mark the end of a fruitful exchange of knowledge
and insights during the brown bag session.

The Philippines is no stranger to flooding and heavy rains. Here in Cagayan de Oro, Typhoon Sendong left a devastating mark on the city, urging its local government leaders to consider establishing flood control projects to protect Kagay-anons in the years to come. With the current situation in the country, more discussions about flood control and governance are taking place.

Xavier University, through the Social Involvement and Advocacy Program (SIAP) under the Social Development Cluster, took part in the discussion as they hosted a brown bag session on 10 September 2025 at the Audio-Visual Room 8, School of Business and Management (SBM) Building.

The brown bag session titled ”Flood Control Issues in the Philippines: Connecting Science, Accountability, and Citizen Engagement in Flood Solutions” aimed to raise awareness of the current corruption in our government in the context of our flood-control projects, share knowledge and facts related to the issue at hand, and discuss ways we can move forward as an educational institution.

The discussion was led by the College of Engineering’s Assistant Dean, Engr Jefferson Vallente Jr, EnP. During his discussion, he used the lenses of civil engineering and environmental planning to provide context and connect his expertise to what is currently going on in our country. Engr Vallente also introduced the difference between flood control and flood mitigation. He highlighted that while we cannot control flooding and how it regularly occurs, we can reduce its impact through mitigation. “With climate change at our doorstep, flood mitigation is more feasible than control”, he shared.

Engr Jefferson Vallente Jr, Assistant Dean of XU College of Engineering and lead discussant of the brown bag session,
provided a national situationer on typhoons and flooding in the Philippines.

Engr Vallente presented his talk in a casual yet engaging manner by using local examples from Cagayan de Oro, the forests of Bukidnon, and the Mindanao River Basin in the Southern Philippines. He not only highlighted the scientific and environmental factors, but even the socioeconomic aspect and impact of flooding and the importance of transparency in government-funded projects.

To end his talk, Engr Vallente challenged the participants to involve themselves and not just rely on flood control structures when demanding accountability, but rather look for a national plan that can address flooding and other related issues.

His talk was received positively by the faculty, formators, and students who were present to listen to him. Ms Heidi Oberes from the Association of College of Engineering Students (ACES) encouraged her fellow students to practice integrity, transparency, and good governance in their chosen paths. She also emphasized the importance of not being corrupt as future engineers.

Ms Cassandra Marie Eguia, Vice President of the XU Association of Law Students (XU-ALS) shared her insights and reaction towards Engr Vallente’s talk. She mentioned environmental protection as a human right and how projects on flood control and mitigation affect human lives. She hopes that the future generation will value the hard work in obtaining a degree and not engage in corrupt practices such as what is observed today.