The UPLB Interdisciplinary Studies Center on Integrated Natural Resources and Environment Management (UPLB-INREM) was officially launched as an affiliate resilience hub of the UP Resilience Institute (UPRI) at the 4th International Conference on Integrated Natural Resources and Environment Management (INREM 2023) on Nov. 21-23, 2023 at the Century Park Hotel Manila.

UPLB-INREM was made a partner hub of the UPRI by the UP Board of Regents at their 1379th meeting on April 3, 2023. UPLB-INREM is the second to join UPRI as an affiliate hub following the Mindanao Center for Disease Watch and Analytics (UP DiWA) in UP Mindanao.

The launch was followed by a ceremonial signing between UPLB and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The University also signed agreements with Palawan State University, Western Philippines University, and Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University for holding INREM-related projects and activities.

With the theme “Future-proofing Sustainable Ridge-to-Reef Transformations through INREM,” the conference convened more than 200 local and international participants from diverse regions including the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, India, Ghana, Ethiopia, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and the United States.

The conference highlighted the presentations of 14 early career researchers in parallel sessions for undergraduate and graduate researchers to encourage the youth to understand, appreciate, and champion the INREM approach. 

DENR Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga spoke at the conference’s program where she emphasized the need to be each other’s and the environment’s “katiwala” or steward to be able to do the transdisciplinary work needed to integrate natural resources and environment management efforts.

INREM 2023 was also graced by Immanuel Gebhardt, country director for German Agency for International Cooperation Philippines and the Pacific Island Countries; Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora, executive director of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology; and UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr..

The International Conference on INREM is conducted every two years as an initiative of UPLBINREM. It was co-organized with UPLB, the College of Forestry and Natural Resources (CFNR), and the UPRI. (Christian Ray C. Buendia, Farah Sevilla)