On Friday, October 28, 2022, a guest lecture for the Meteorology Seminar (ME-4097) was held. The Meteorology Program organized the Meteorology Selected Topics lecture by inviting a Guest Lecturer in a hybrid format open to the public as a means to broaden knowledge regarding the relationship between Meteorology and Disaster-Resilient Indonesia.
The Guest Lecture began with an introduction and opening remarks from the Head of the Meteorology Program, who serves as the instructor for the Meteorology Selected Topics course. The event then continued with a presentation on the theme “Meteorology and Disaster-Resilient Indonesia” by Mr. Hengki Eko Putra, S.Si., M.PWK.
The presentation opened with the statement, Indonesia Resilient to Disasters: “It’s a journey, rather than a destination ” , accompanied by an opening slide showing the Seismicity Map of Indonesia for the period 2009-2019.
The presentation then continued with a quote from Indonesia’s first president, Ir. Soekarno, regarding the meaning of “Resilient Indonesia,” which reads:
“We want to be a nation that is forged by adversity every day. Nearly shattered, rise again!
Nearly shattered, rise again!
Nearly shattered, rise again!
A quote that captures the resilience of the Indonesian nation. Indonesia, a beautiful and resource-rich country, is situated in a region vulnerable to natural disasters. A resilient Indonesia, ready to rise again when struck by natural disasters.
The explanation of the word “resilient” in the phrase “Resilient Indonesia” refers to resilience in “Institutional Capacity” and resilience in “Financing.” Resilience in institutional capacity encompasses relevant institutions that play a crucial role in disaster management in Indonesia, including:
- Government (BNPB, BPBD, BAPPENAS, KEMENKEU, and relevant ministries and agencies)
- Universities
- The public / communities
- Media
- Industry (Indonesian insurance companies)
Meanwhile, resilience in financing includes:
- Budget reallocation
- Foreign loans
- Pool of fund
- Disaster insurance
The most significant issue currently highlighted in the material is the resilience of funding. At present, the BNPB’s budget allocation is limited and insufficient to cover the costs of responding to disasters (BNPB Strategic Plan 2015–2019). This is linked to the reallocation of funds for disaster response and the regions’ high dependence on the central government.
The event then continued with a question-and-answer session. During this session, students and members of the general public attending the event, both online and in person were invited to ask questions and discuss the material that had been presented earlier. The event then continued with the presentation of certificates by the instructor of the Meteorology Seminar course to the speakers, followed by a closing session featuring a group photo.
