In partnership with St. Aloysius (Deemed to be University) and the Naga City Coalition for Arts and Culture, Inc., the University Research Council of Ateneo de Naga University formally launched its five-year programmatic strategic action plan for research centered on rivers and the environment through the Echoes of the River: Integrating Policy, Research, and the Humanities for a Fluid Future International Conference, held on 27–29 January 2026, at Villa Caceres Hotel, Naga City, and via Google Meet.
In his welcoming remarks, ADNU President Fr. Aristotle Dy, SJ reaffirmed the University’s continuing commitment to Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato Si’ ten years after its publication. He warned that environmental disasters may recur, beyond the devastation brought by the 2024 tropical storm Kristine, if Mother Nature continues to be neglected and unless humanity reclaims its role as protector of God’s creation.
The conference served as a platform for discourse on environmental care through its four strands: Commerce, Policy, and Governance; Science and Technology Streams; Cultural and Creative Echoes; and Flows of Learning. Each strand featured keynote and plenary lectures, complemented by peer-reviewed forum paper presentations. A conference proceedings volume is currently being prepared, containing the keynote and plenary lectures as well as selected forum contributions which will undergo a peer-review process prior to publication.
Six international speakers graced the three-day event. On the first day, Dr. Marie Paz Morales of the Philippine Normal University delivered an encouraging keynote entitled “Navigating the Currents of Change in Science, Policy, and Community for a Resilient Future,” followed by an engaging online lecture by Dr. Guangwei Huang of Sophia University, Japan, titled “Has Our Vulnerability to Flooding Decreased Over Time?” The afternoon session featured an informative discussion by Dr. Salvatore Manfreda of the University of Naples Federico II, Italy, on “Flood Risk Assessment at Large Scale: Challenges and Strategies.”
On the second day, Ateneo de Naga University’s Bulawan na Bikolnon Service Awardee, Dr. Paz Verdades Santos, delivered an inspiring lecture on the transformative role of arts and culture in the care of rivers and nature, entitled “The River Remembers.” This was followed by a fruitful discussion on “Operationalizing the Rights and Legal Personhood of Rivers: Implementation Challenges from Existing Cases and Insights for the Bicol River,” delivered by Dr. Cyrille Vallet of the Department of Geography and Environment, University of Geneva.
On the third day, Dr. Vidya Vinutha D’Souza of St. Aloysius (Deemed to be University) shared lessons from India in her lecture “Social Work and Community Resilience in Disasters.” The conference sessions concluded with a presentation by Ateneo de Naga University faculty member Ms. Khim Cathleen M. Saddi, PhD (Cand.), titled “Citizen Science in River Plastic Detection: Challenges and Opportunities.”
Beyond academic sessions, the conference was enriched by an art exhibit featuring the paintings of artist Manuel Medenilla inspired by the Naga River, as well as cultural performances by Aninipot sa Tahaw kan Salog, Mr. Bruce Raleen, Ignacio Dance Company, selected Senior High School performers, Mr. Jason Chancoco, Dr. Teresa C. Francisco, and Engr. Ellaine G. Gogola. Memorandums of Understanding were signed between Ateneo de Naga University and St. Aloysius (Deemed to be University) to strengthen international partnership, and with Naga City Coalition of Artists and Culture, Inc. to advance shared advocacy for the care of the Naga and Bikol Rivers. All conference participants also took part in a ceremonial declaration of their commitment to the care of rivers and waterways.
Participants further engaged in a workshop grouped according to their primary roles as educators, researchers, or administrators and policymakers. The documented outputs are intended to serve as baseline references for future initiatives, programs, projects, and succeeding conferences devoted to river governance, curriculum integration, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The conference culminated on the morning of January 30, 2026, with selected participants joining the Naga River Walk: Pagbaklay, Pagbansay Bridges as Repositories of Riverine Memories and Wisdom, guided by Mr. Dennis Gonzaga of the Naga City Coalition of Arts and Culture, Inc.
While a series of smaller activities and engagements will follow this program, the University Research Council is already preparing for the next International Research Conference in 2028, where new and effective technologies, policy reforms, educational innovations, and artistic interventions are expected to emerge under the renewed theme “Innovations and Transitions: Reimagining River Futures.”
