A TAALe of Arsenic: Sharing the narrative through an interactive map
Arsenic is a highly toxic and carcinogenic trace metal that can potentially contaminate groundwater sources in volcanic regions and affect communities in the area, like those residing around the Taal Volcano.
The volcano’s eruption last 2020 encouraged an investigation into the quality of groundwater sources in communities surrounding the volcano. In response, the EnviHealth team in ACRI conducted a comparative documentation, “Arsenic in Groundwater Sources from Selected Communities Surrounding Taal Volcano, Philippines”. Water samples from 26 wells were collected across 11 municipalities and 1 city in Batangas province within danger zones from the volcano which were used to analyze total arsenic levels of the samples. Geographic coordinates of the sampling points were also recorded for mapping.
As part of the study, the Taal Volcano Environmental Health Task Force and EnviHealth team created an online interactive map to help policymakers and decision makers visualize the extent of arsenic groundwater contamination in Batangas Province.
The interactive map was developed to share information on arsenic levels in groundwater around Taal Lake, which can be easily accessed online by policymakers and local government units for policy and planning purposes. It displays a map which highlights the various municipalities and cities surrounding the lake, along with the point water sources in these areas. The municipalities are color-coded based on arsenic levels where concentrations are depicted through varying shades of red, with the darkest gradient depicting high Arsenic levels (n=XXX pbm). Upon selecting a location, the map provides detailed information about the barangay, including its geographical coordinates, arsenic levels for the years 2020, 2021, and 2022, as well as the corresponding municipality.
The map is available and accessible to the public through this link: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/arsenic-in-groundwater-sources_775651#12/13.9912/120.9931
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ACRI and ICARS Lead Expert Meeting to Tackle Climate and AMR Challenges in LMICs
The Ateneo Center for Research and Innovation (ACRI) and the International Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance Solutions (ICARS) recently hosted a three-day expert meeting to define research priorities on climate change and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in low- and middle-income countries. With insights from Philippine agencies and international researchers in One Health, agriculture, and aquaculture, the event laid the groundwork for new research and funding that bridges climate resilience and AMR mitigation.
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ACRI, RTI looks into the Health Security Policy Landscape in the Philippines
The Philippines faces significant health security challenges due to its vulnerability to natural disasters, frequent disease outbreaks, and the unique demands of its devolved health system. To address these pressing issues, the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Center for Research and Innovation teamed up with RTI International to assess the country’s health security policies. The project set out to map existing policies, identify overlaps and gaps, and propose practical recommendations to strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to health threats. It also sought to align national policies with global standards such as the International Health Regulations (IHR).