CLARK FREEPORT – The Luzon leg of Handa Pilipinas 2026, a nationwide disaster resilience and science-and-technology exposition themed “Agham at Teknolohiya para sa Ligtas at Matatag na Bayan,” opened at the SMX Convention Center here on Oct. 26.
Hosted by the Department of Science and Technology, the three-day event gathered government agencies, local government units, disaster risk reduction and management practitioners, academic institutions, and private sector partners to strengthen disaster preparedness through science, technology, and innovation.
DOST Central Luzon director Dr. Julius Caesar V. Sicat, who also serves as the Handa Pilipinas project leader, clarified that the initiative’s success should not be measured by the number of technologies displayed, but by how these solutions are adopted and integrated into local governance, community preparedness, and decision-making.
In his message, DOST Secretary Dr. Renato U. Solidum Jr. noted that early warning systems must go beyond issuing alerts and ensure that people receive and understand information in time to act.
“An alert is only useful if people see it. A warning is only meaningful if people understand it,” Solidum said, stressing that timely and accessible information is essential in protecting lives and livelihoods from typhoons, floods, landslides, and other hazards,” he said.
Key features presented in the event included HANDA Platform, an integrated digital platform for disaster preparedness, early warning, and response developed by DOST and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology; geospatial and hazard-mapping tools like GeoRiskPH and HazardHunterPH to help communities assess natural hazards.
Exhibitions and bazaars, including interactive displays of disaster mitigation technologies, science-based solutions, and collaborative enterprise panels were also showcased at the event.
Among local government leaders gracing the opening were Tarlac Gov. Christian Tell Yap and Mabalacat City Mayor Atty. Geld Aquino. Photos: DOST, PIA-3
