It will enable the future creation of the National Laboratory for Earthquake-Resistant Engineering.
SANTO DOMINGO, RD. – The Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) and the National Office of Seismic Evaluation and Vulnerability of Infrastructure and Buildings (Onesvie) signed a collaboration agreement last Wednesday for the creation of a research center specializing in the comprehensive management of disaster risk, with a special focus on the reduction of seismic risk.
The Center for Research on Resilience and Multi-Hazard Risks (CIRRMA-ONESVIE-PUCMM) aims to train personnel to conduct multidisciplinary research that contributes to risk reduction. It also paves the way for the future creation of the National Earthquake-Resistant Engineering Laboratory.
The agreement was signed by the university rector, Reverend Father Dr. Secilio Espinal, and by Leonardo Reyes Madera, general director of Onesvie, according to a press release.
Reverend Secilio Espinal and Leonardo Reyes Madera sign the agreement. (External source).
During the signing ceremony, the director of Onesvie explained that although the Dominican Republic is a seismically active country, it has not experienced very frequent earthquakes. “Therefore, we tend to think that the earth won't shake again, and this has led to a state of complacency. This has significantly delayed the development of prevention, code updates, and public awareness,” the official explained, emphasizing that this agreement will help to overcome this complacency.
Dr. Secilio Espinal expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in the institution to promote this initiative and highlighted the role that academia and scientific research, together with the public sector, play in raising awareness and developing public policies on a crucial issue for the country, such as resilience to disasters, land-use planning and urban development.
Professor Ashley Morales Cartagena, director of CIRRMA, highlighted that this government-academia collaboration creates a structure at the service of the country where work will be done with local and international partners to strengthen the nation's resilience capabilities.
