Inf mapperA Publication on Surveys, Mapping, and Resource Information Technology

Volume XV ISSN-0117-1674 July 2008

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ContentsEditorial

Cover and spread design: Sheilah Mae G. LopezPhoto spread compilation: Renato E. Eguia

The National Spatial Data Infrastructure(NSDI), in its simplest terms, seeks toestablish an Internet-based geographic

information system in the Philippines wherebyinterested users in the government, private sector,and even the general public can have ready accessto various types of geographic data such astopographic base maps, thematic maps, geodeticcontrol point coordinates, and other kinds of maps.In other countries, the NSDI comes in differentvariants like a national geographic informationsystem, spatial data information system or thelike, but the basic concept remains the same. Thesuccess of the NSDI thus mainly rests on theavailability of a comprehensive and updateddatabase that can be readily accessed by users.Where will the data come from? NAMRIA, aslead agency, will produce the base maps to be usedby other agencies, which will in turn upload thevalue-added maps to the system.

Such a system will have a significant impactfor national development. For instance, municipalgovernments use base maps and other thematicdata (e.g., forest cover maps, socio-economic maps,geohazard maps, and soil maps) in the formulationof their comprehensive land use plans with the aidof GIS. Concerned sectors in the same municipalitycould also use them in recommending furtherinputs to refine the plans. In short, with theavailability of geographic data to all stakeholders,rational planning and enlightened decisions can bemade. This will also lead to the standardization ofplanning tools to be used from the local level upto the national level.

The NSDI will be very essential for disastermanagement as maps become readily availableduring times of calamities for formulation of quick-response mechanisms and conduct of rehabilitationactivities. Multihazard maps of the different high-risk localities in the country can also be uploadedto the system. The same is true for agriculturalproduction where an accurate inventory of areasplanted to crops can be undertaken and arablelands may be tapped for additional cropping. Innot so short a time, as the awareness level of theuser community rises and with more detailed mapdata, there will be a more complex application ofthe system.

These are just some examples of theenormous potentials to be derived from the NSDI.It really depends on the users on how to take

NSDI: Impact on National Development and Security

Infomapper

EDITORIAL BOARD

Chairman – Usec. Diony A. Ventura, MNSAMembers – Senior Deputy Administrator Peter N. Tiangco, Ph.D.; Deputy Administrator Ricardo T. Biña; & IMD Director Linda SD. Papa

EDITORIAL STAFF

Executive Editor – John SF. Fabic • Editor-in-Chief – Maria Romina dR. Pe Benito • Managing Editors – Nancy M. de Jesus & Xenia R. AndresStaff Writers – Concepcion A. Bringas, Elinor C. delos Reyes, Benjamin T. de Leon, & Aubrey George T. Corpuz

Contributors – Ruel D. Belen (SSD), Olivia R. Molina (RSRDAD), Reyna C. Henson (CGSD), Benjamin P. Balais (IMD), & Nicandro P. Parayno (MD)Graphic Arts – Joseph C. Estrella, Sheilah Mae G. Lopez, & Marlon A. Mariñas • Photography – Renato E. Eguia, Rolando A. Mendoza, Erlito P. Saberola, & Arsenio B. Berriber

• Editorial Assistants – Julieta C. Palustre, Rina Grace G. Gersalia, & Donnabel R. Reyes

Published by the Media Production Division, Information Management DepartmentNational Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA)

Office: Lawton Avenue, Fort Andres Bonifacio, Taguig City • Tel. No. - (02) 810-4831 (to 36), local 430 or Telefax - (02) 810-2890 • E-mail Address: mpd@namria.gov.ph

Editors’ note: Due to space constraints, wecannot publish the references consulted for thearticles for this issue. Interested individuals mayavail themselves of the lists from the authors orthe editors of this publication.

Editorial.................................2

FeaturesPhilippine ECS.........................3Reviewing NSDI......................5The GCPs and the NSDI..........8On NSDI and NCSD...............9READY and NSDI................12Conversion............................13

News

New tools for better charts.....14READY preparesprovinces................................15Lahar hazards study................16CDC CSEZ Project...............20

Photo SpreadThe Philippine NSDI..............10

advantage of these datasets to serve their purpose.With such distributed information at one’sfingertips, think of the convenience, savings, andtimeliness in utilizing the data holdings that willbe realized. The impact can be measured in termsof the government physical infrastructures built,the vital services rendered, and how well theenvironment was protected. The downstreameffect will be on the livelihood generated in thecountryside and the improvement of the incomeof the people.

How about the security aspect of NSDI?Would it, in any way, compromise or enhancenational security? Traditionally, national securitywas equated with military security and did not takeinto account its other dimensions. Hence, muchrestriction was imposed on the distribution ofmaps, aerial photographs, and other geographicdata. The advent of the information age changedthe entire picture. The GPS, for example, oncethe exclusive domain of the military is now inwide commercial use. The same is true with spaceimaging systems with high-resolution satelliteimageries. These are readily available in themarket today and can even be viewed online. Withrapid globalization and growth which fuel the needfor more complex mapping systems, the benefitsof this type of technology already outweigh therisks, with military establishments still maintainingthe most sophisticated and sensitive systems. Themost imminent threat to national security at thistime lies in the economic front with currentspiralling energy and food prices, which hopefullycan be solved in part through the employment ofaccurate and consistent geographic data for sounddecision making.

Of course, establishing the NSDI comes witha price as in any other infrastructure investment.A data clearinghouse network connecting datacustodians all over the country will have to beestablished, along with the physical linkagesamong these sub-systems. Technical standards,policies, and protocols will have to be formulated.Building up the geographic database is a majorcost component, and in this respect, massiveinformation and education campaigns need to beundertaken, as well as capacity building of dataproducers and custodians.

What is the next step? The project is beingproposed as part of next year’s budget. Let’s hopefor the best so we can buckle down to work. w

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Tapping the UNCLOS Limits for Philippine ECSby Usec. Diony A. Ventura, MNSA

Popular interest was stirred during the early part of this yearover the Philippines’ maritime claims under the United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), for an Extended

Continental Shelf (ECS). What is the role of the National Mappingand Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) in this matter andwhat has it done so far? We deal with these questions in thisarticle.

UNCLOS and the ECSThe UNCLOS we know today refers to either the international

conference or the resulting international agreement of the thirdUNCLOS. The series of sessions making up the third UNCLOS washeld in various places in the world from 1973 to 1982. It was thethird UNCLOS conference which succeeded in establishing througha treaty a comprehensive set of rights and obligations of theinternational community in the use of the world’s oceans and theirresources. Commonly referred to as the “Constitution of theOceans,” that treaty or agreement bears the name United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS, which came intoforce in 1994.

Continental shelf jurisdiction is one of the significant issuescovered by the UNCLOS. In Article 76 of the UNCLOS, thecontinental shelf of a coastal state is said to comprise: the sea-bedand subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond itsterritorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of its landterritory to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to adistance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the

ECS TWG slide

breadth of the territorial sea is measured where the outer edge ofthe continental margin does not extend up to that distance.

Pursuant to the provisions of the guidelines of the UNCLOS,the coastal state is entitled to a juridical and mandatory 200 nauticalmile continental shelf from the baselines from which the breadth ofthe territorial sea is measured. It does not need to delineate ordelimit its mandatory continental shelf except where it overlapswith a neighbor state. The coastal state is allowed to claim orsubmit a claim for an ECS up to the maximum limit of 350 nauticalmiles from its baselines, or 100 nautical miles from the 2,500-meterisobath.

Article 77 of the UNCLOS affirms the rights of coastal states toexplore and exploit the natural resources of the continental shelf;that these rights are exclusive in the sense that no one may exploreor exploit the continental shelf without explicit consent of the coastalstate; and that these rights are inherent and do not depend onoccupation. Thus states have the right to manage, conserve, andharvest the natural resources within the continental shelf whichconsist of the mineral and other non-living resources of the sea-bed and subsoil together with living organisms belonging tosedentary species. The wealth of the continental shelf may includeoffshore oil resources and minerals like coal, cobalt, copper,diamond, gold, nickel, platinum, and silver; along with livingsedentary resources such as crustaceans and deep-sea vegetation.

The Philippines and UNCLOSThe Philippines signed the UNCLOS in 1982 and in 1984 ratified

it or assented to it with Congressional approval. The Philippines is

*Administrator Ventura is an active member of the Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs and is a prime mover in the preparation of the PhilippineECS submission.

...continued on next page

Administrator Ventura (second from left) presides over a meeting of the ECSTWG in the NAMRIA board room.

NAMRIA Administrator*

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one coastal state in Asia that is presently establishing its ECSentitlements under the UNCLOS. With a legitimized claim over itsECS, under the UNCLOS, the Philippines can boost its developmentby making use of the natural resources therein to be able to meetthe rapidly increasing demands especially of its industries.

To delineate its ECS, the Philippines must acquire pieces ofscientific evidence consisting of bathymetric, geological, andgeophysical data that satisfy the technical criteria prescribed bythe UNCLOS. The Philippines has to submit the data to theCommission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) forentitlement. The CLCS is the UN body charged with the scrutiny ofall ECS submissions. Early ratifiers of UNCLOS, such as thePhilippines, have to make their ECS submissions on or before 13May 2009. A coastal state’s failure to submit a claim on or beforethe deadline may mean loss of its ECS to a neighbor coastal statewith an overlapping claim or to the International Seabed Authority,the UN agency charged with the management of all marine sea-beds that do not belong to any state.

NAMRIA and the Philippine ECSIn the wake of the coming into force of the UNCLOS and in

accordance with its provisions, NAMRIA has been working tocomplete the hydrographic/oceanographic surveys and chartingparticularly of the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Theagency in fact acquired in 1998 and 1999 two new multidisciplinarysurvey vessels to facilitate work in this regard.

All maritime zones are measured from the baselines. ThePhilippine baselines, however, as officially defined under the existingbaselines law, Republic Act (RA) Number 3046 as amended by RA5446, have been found not to be fully in accordance with theprovisions of the UNCLOS. NAMRIA has through the years beenproviding the required technical inputs for the drafting of a newbaselines law. NAMRIA was particularly involved from 1992onwards in the survey of basepoints which serve as bases fordelineating the new baselines of the country. NAMRIA was amember-agency of the Technical Committee of the CabinetCommittee on Maritime and Ocean Affairs (CABCOM-MOA, 1994-2001), whose concerns included the delineation of the baselinesand maritime boundary delimitation. The CABCOM-MOA waspreviously the CABCOM on the Treaty on the Law of the Sea(1981-1994). The CABCOM-MOA Secretariat became in 1999 theMaritime and Ocean Affairs Center (MOAC). This in turn becamein 2001 the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)-MOAC, and thenby virtue of Presidential Executive Order (EO) Number 612, Seriesof 2007, the present Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs(CMOA) under the Office of the President. NAMRIA is a CMOAmember by virtue of the said EO.

With regard to the ECS, from 2002 to 2003, NAMRIA was partof a group which conducted a desktop study to determine thePhilippines’ potential for ECS entitlement. The Norwegian Agencyfor Development Cooperation provided financial assistance and

technical support through the consultancy firm Blom ASA. Laterefforts of NAMRIA led to the development of the project to fast-track the delineation of the country’s ECS. NAMRIA’s technicalstaff is working with geophysicists, geologists, and other scientistsfrom the Department of Energy, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Department of Environment and Natural Resources (MGB-DENR),the National Institute of Geological Sciences-University of thePhilippines, the Philippine National Oil Company, and othergovernment agencies in this regard. NAMRIA is the implementingarm of DENR which chairs the technical working group (TWG)concerned with the project that officially started in 2006 and isunder the supervision of CMOA. The gathering and integrationof scientific and technical evidence for submission to the CLCS areongoing. The preparation of the ECS submission has legal policyand diplomatic components which are the responsibilities of theDepartment of Justice and the DFA.

Hopes for the FutureThe significance of the outputs of the ECS Project more than

makes up for the costs in preparing the submission. The datagathered are primarily useful in supporting the ECS submissionbut they likewise have other benefits for the country. Such benefitsare for hydrographic survey data to update nautical charts forsafety of navigation; for geophysical and geological data to providescientific bases for the exploration and exploitation of oil, naturalgas, and hard mineral resources; and for hydrographic, geophysical,and geological data to serve as valuable inputs in the protectionand conservation of the marine environment.

With steely determination, technical capability, and politicalwill, the Philippines, through the ECS project, will assert its rightsunder the UNCLOS to put to greater use and better managementthe ocean resources under its jurisdiction. The Philippines willthen be able to take its rightful place in the community of nationsthat have only the best intentions for the welfare of nature’sresources and that of their citizens of the present and the future. w

ECS TWG slide

Tapping ...from page 3

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The development of the NSDI addresses worldwide efforts tobuild global, regional, and national SDIs. Examples of these are theEuropean Geographic Information Infrastructure, and the respectiveNSDIs of the United States of America, India, and Singapore. ThePermanent Committee for Geographic Information SystemInfrastructure for Asia and the Pacific, of which NAMRIA is amember, has also taken similar steps to address regional SDI needs.

The components of the PNSDI include (1) the institutionalframework, (2) the technical standards, (3) the fundamental datasets,and (4) the clearinghouse network. The institutional frameworkcomponent defines the policy and administrative arrangements forbuilding, maintaining, accessing, and applying standards anddatasets through a especially created council or committee. Thisgroup shall provide the leadership necessary for the adoption ofthe NSDI and shall serve as the vehicle for the determination ofnational priorities, the development of geographic informationapplications, and the education and training of human resources.

The fundamental datasets component involves theidentification and development of primary data from various sources(e.g., base maps, geodetic control network, land parcels/cadastre,populated places, and climatology) from which other informationare derived and integrated to create value-added products. Thetechnical characteristics of these fundamental datasets are definedand are compliant with the technical standards component whichrequires protocols in geographic reference system or geodeticdatum, data models, data dictionaries, data quality, data transfer,and metadata. While the geodetic datum enables geographicinformation integration, data dictionaries provide standarddefinitions for the spatial and attribute components of thefundamental datasets. These data dictionaries include topography,cadastre, utilities, street addresses, and geosciences.

Data models are leveled into conceptual, logical, and physical.The conceptual data model is a schema to represent the spatial andattribute components of the fundamental datasets and theirrelationships. The logical data model, on the other hand, specifiesthe manner in which the relationships of the various datasets are tobe defined. The physical data model is implemented in the datatransfer protocol which comprises a set of data encoding rules foreffective data and metadata communication. Standards in metadataor data about data specify how data are described, such as datasetname, content, structure, and access procedure and restriction.Data quality information, meanwhile, enables users to make aninformed judgment about the data’s “fitness for purpose.”

The clearinghouse network component, on the other hand, isthe means by which the fundamental datasets are made accessibleto the community in accordance with the policies determined andthe technical standards agreed upon within the institutionalframework. The key element of the network is the data directorysystem which contains the metadata of the fundamental datasets.This system should be freely accessible to the user communitythrough this component’s technological framework.

Reviewing the NSDIby Xenia R. Andres

...continued on next page

Imagine that you are the owner of a hauling company and a clientin a construction company calls to tell you that your service isneeded fast. You plan your route using a web-based mapping

service network and dispatch your trucks to their destination at theleast possible time. The client is impressed and you become industrypartners.

Imagine that a tsunami occurs with plenty of casualties in thearea. You are watching a live broadcast and maps of the victims’location and the extent of damage are shown. Moved by the sightand armed with map information, you help the local disaster actiongroup in rescuing and evacuating survivors and distributing reliefgoods. You are able to save lives.

The immediate responses in the scenarios above are madepossible through information on the location or geography of things,people, places, and events. Geographic information, also known asgeospatial data, identifies the geographic location andcharacteristics of natural or man-made features and boundaries onthe earth. It makes up a large percentage of the information neededin government, business, and individual activities.

Many government and private agencies collect, process, anduse geographic information. Thus, a framework is vital to coordinatethe acquisition, production, integration, and dissemination ofconsistent, accurate, and updated geographic information that canbe analyzed and utilized according to user requirements. Such aframework is a spatial data infrastructure or SDI, which is composedof the technology, policies, standards, human resources, and relatedactivities necessary to use and share spatial data in an efficient andflexible way. In order to support data sharing in a comprehensivecontext, a national spatial data infrastructure (NSDI) is developed.

The NSDI for the Philippines or the PNSDI was conceivedthrough the efforts of the NAMRIA-spearheaded Interagency TaskForce on Geographic Information (IATFGI) created in 1993. TheIATFGI was primarily tasked to promote and coordinate the efficientdevelopment, management, and utilization of geographic informationin the country. The formulation of the NSDI framework plan wasmade possible through a project entitled “The Establishment of aTechnical, Operational, and Legal Framework for the Managementof Geographic Information in the Philippines.” This project wasimplemented from 1999 to 2001 through the assistance of the WorldBank Information for Development Program.

The Philippine NSDI and its ComponentsThe NSDI is a national initiative for the provision of geographic

information that are fundamental, better accessed, reasonably-priced, and produced and maintained by different agencies. It is anetwork of digital databases located throughout the country, whichcollectively will provide the fundamental data needed forsocioeconomic, human resource, and environmental developmentobjectives. The NSDI ensures that geographic information userswill be able to acquire the complete and consistent datasets theyrequire even though several agencies happen to collect and maintainthe data.

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Major Activities/Outputs Leading to the Establishment of PNSDI by Core Components

Status Institutional Framework

Technical Standards Fundamental Datasets

Access (Clearinghouse)

Network

Completed (from 1993)

• NSDI Framework Plan

• Draft executive order on the creation of a National Geographic Information Council

•Manual on Data Definitions and Manual on Data Classification and Coding

•DENR Administrative Order No. 2006-12 entitled “Development and Management of a Standard Seamless National Digital Topographic Database and Providing for the Guidelines for its Operationalization”

•Policies and resolutions on data sharing

•Technical standards on map scales, map projections, and data classification scheme

•GIS Cookbook for Comprehensive Land Use Planning

• Identified fundamental datasets are specified in the NSDI Framework Plan

Ongoing/ Continuous

• Inventory of GIS projects and data holdings

• LGU GIS capability assessment reports

• Trained government staff on GIS

•Metadata standards (ISO 19115)

•Philippine Reference System of 1992 (PRS92) policies and guidelines on cadastral and ENR data transformation and integration

• Data generated for PRS92 Project

• Data generated for multihazard mapping (READY, JICA, GOP)

• Geodetic Network Information System

• Land Survey Database Management System

Future Plans of Action

• Permanent body for NSDI

• Policies and administrative arrangements on custodianship, data access, and leadership not yet in place

• Standardization activity at the network infrastructure level

• New data (i.e., satellite images, aerial photographs) for most parts of the country

• Updating of maps for most parts of the country

• Operational network infrastructure

• Making data accessible through the Internet

• Making dynamic cataloguing or metadata system accessible to the public

Reviewing ...from page 5

Figure B

The Benefits of the NSDIThe indiscriminate collection of geographic information by any

agency leads to resource waste and data inconsistency because thedata are duplicated and cannot be integrated with other data inorder to produce value-added information. The NSDI reduces theduplication of efforts and the inconsistency of data because theuser community has reached an agreement on the priority nationalfundamental datasets to be collected, the standards by which theyshall be acquired and maintained, and the custodianship of the data.Figure A shows the data acquisition of two agencies during the Mt.Pinatubo eruption in 1991.

Moreover, the utilization of geographic data systematicallycollected for a specific purpose is cost-efficient for use in otherapplications. Geological information, for example, not only supportsthe mining and petroleum exploration industries but also helps thegovernment in the identification of suitable underground water fortowns and barangays. The multipurpose nature of the NSDIprovides repeatable data and avoids resource waste on datacollection, storage, and integration. The economic returns ofgovernment geographic information investments and the savings

in cost of geographic information users are thereby maximized andimproved, including government and business planning anddecision making which are impacted by geography. Emergingapplications include population census, defense and public safety,land title registration, land reform, voter registration and precinctmapping, vehicle navigation, integrated area development, andemergency management.

The NSDI also promotes the growth of private industries andfacilitates their active participation in the development, acquisition,and provision of geographic information to local and global markets.An information infrastructure is needed by each country to competein the new global economy or information age and the geographicinformation infrastructure is just as much an infrastructure as roads,communications, schools, health facilities, and so on. The NSDItakes advantage of new opportunities brought about bydevelopments in information and communication technologies.Figure B* below shows the status of activities in building theNSDI.

The Fundamental Datasets and NAMRIAThe fundamental datasets are the required datasets of

government agencies and industry groups in order to achieve theirsocial and corporate objectives. They are the building blocks of theNSDI, the information to share and manage. These datasets includethe primary references, the natural and built environments, and the

Figure A

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*Figures B and D used for this article were adapted from the unpublished paper of Mr. Bobby A. Crisostomo, former Chief of the Database ManagementDivision (DMD), NAMRIA Information Management Department (IMD).

administrative and socioeconomic subsets (Figure C). Thefundamental datasets component of the PNSDI is undertakento (1) provide updated, consistent, and digital fundamentaldatasets with national coverage to meet requirements of users;(2) fill the gaps in available fundamental datasets; (3) serve as abasis for adjusting or correcting existing fundamental datasetsto facilitate the building of a complete national coverage forfundamental framework datasets; and (4) facilitate search andaccess to the datasets.

Through the NSDI Development Program, NAMRIA is inthe process of developing data acquisition and accessmechanisms for the core datasets it is mandated to produce,manage, and distribute. It is currently implementing projectswhich encompass all the fundamental datasets mentionedabove. These projects aim to (1) enhance the PhilippineReference System of 1992 (PRS92); (2) establish a nationalcommon spatial database comprising an updated and digitizedset of base data or topographic maps at 1:50,000 scale; (3)provide the topographic database of the country’s maritimezones and extended continental shelf through bathymetricsurvey and mapping; (4) update nautical charts and navigationalaids; and (5) develop a web-based standard seamless digitaltopographic database system and clearinghouse forenvironment and natural resources (ENR) management andsustainable development. Also proposed are the followingprojects: Topographic Mapping of Population Centers at1:10,000 Scale; Remote Sensing Data Transmission andProcessing; Geographic Names Inventory and Updating; andLand Use and Vegetation Cover Mapping.

Virtual PhilippinesThe NSDI seeks to make Philippine society fully use

geographic information resources for socioeconomic andphysical development through improvements in the availability,usability, consistency, compatibility, and affordability of

Figure C

geographic datasets produced by various sources. The optimal use ofgeographic information moreover supports the information system planto bring the Philippine government online. The NSDI is the enablingtechnology to realize a virtual Philippines. It aims to improve serviceand access to a wider scope of data, with a size and a complexity thatare beyond the capacity of a single agency, through partnership of allspatial information organizations, public or private.

NAMRIA and the Advanced Science and Technology Institute(ASTI) are now in the process of undertaking a collaborative projectwith the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and AstronomicalServices Administration and the Philippine Institute of Volcanologyand Seismology. The Federated Geospatial Information System (FedGIS)will be developed to pilot the physical network and disseminationinfrastructure of the Philippine NSDI. Inputs for the FedGIS are theexisting base data of NAMRIA and the outputs of the Hazard Mappingand Assessment Effective Community-Based Disaster RiskManagement or READY Project. Web-based interfaces to the FedGIS,including browsers, make its database accessible to collaboratingagencies as well as to other stakeholders and provide the base

...continued on page 17

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The GCPs and the NSDIby Engr. Enrique A. Macaspac*

A vital backbone to anygeoinformation is an accurate,consistent, and homogeneous

geodetic control network. PRS92, which isthe official common reference system for allsurveying and mapping in the country,serves that purpose. It is a network ofgeodetic control points (GCPs) strategicallylocated throughout the country.Furthermore, PRS92 will be used as thegeographic reference system of thePhilippine NSDI. GCPs are importantcomponents of NAMRIA fundamentaldatasets together with the base maps.Without migrating to PRS92, all thegeographical data holdings of differentinstitutions in the country cannot beintegrated consistently and geographically.Thus, there is difficulty in achieving thebenefits of having a common spatial datainfrastructure in development andgovernance. To support the contribution ofgovernment and non-governmentinstitutions in the establishment of the NSDIin the country, GCPs in PRS92 are madereadily available to them.

Densification of the NetworkNAMRIA, in coordination with the

regional offices of DENR, particularly theLands Management Service (LMS), isspearheading the densification of GCPsthroughout the country. Members of theGeodetic Engineers of the Philippines (GEP)who establish GCPs for their land surveyingprojects now get free evaluation of theirsurvey results, which were obtained usingthe Global Positioning System (GPS). TheGCPs that they establish form part of thenetwork in recognition of the GEP members’contribution to the densification.

GCPs are classified according to orderof accuracy. PRS92 was established with anetwork of 330 first-order GCPs, which isthe basis by which all other controls of lowerorders are derived. NAMRIA has beendensifying PRS92 after the completion ofthe Geodetic Component of the NaturalResources Management and DevelopmentProject, an Australian-funded project of

DENR. Densification of the network wasintensified when NAMRIA got fundingfrom the Department of Budget andManagement for its PRS92 Project, with animplementing period from 2007 to 2010 inpreparation for the full implementation ofEO 45, Series of 1993, as amended by EO280, Series of 2000 and EO 321, Series of2004. EO 45 mandated the adoption of PRS92as the common reference system for allsurveying and mapping activities in thecountry by year 2000. The last EO amendedthe mandatory year of full implementationto 2010.

Last year, some 12,099 GCPs weretargeted – 1,453 second-order; 1,424 third-order; and 9,222 fourth-order. NAMRIA andthe LMS conducted the surveys, part ofwhich was contracted out. Theaccomplishment was about 85% at the endof 2007 with the remaining 15% almostcompleted to date. This year, 12,052 fourth-order control points will be established:11,524 by the LMS and 528 by NAMRIA.

Active Geodetic NetworkA network of continuously operating

receiver stations (CORS) or active geodeticstations (AGS) is also being established with

the control operating center at the NAMRIAmain office in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.Six CORS were established in 2007, 16 morein 2008. The Active Geodetic Network(AGN) will complement the GCPs already inplace. When operational, the AGN will enablethe conduct of surveys, with more receiversbeing used for the details. Since there willbe no more need for receivers to be set upon reference GCPs, the CORS will substituteas reference GCPs.

Orders of AccuracyNAMRIA adopted the Australian

standards and specifications for the PRS92and GPS surveying. These standards arecomparable with those set by internationalgeodetic authorities. The followinggeometric relative positioning accuracystandards apply at the one sigmaconfidence level:

First-order 10 parts per millionSecond-order 20 parts per millionThird-order 50 parts per millionFourth-order 100 parts per million

*Assistant Director, Coast and Geodetic Survey Department (CGSD)**With inputs from Geophysicist IV Dennis B. Bringas, MMM and Ensign Reyna C. Henson of the Geodetic and Geophysics Survey Division, CGSD

Establishment of AGS

...continued on page 17

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The need for stronger, coordinatedplanning among national and localunits in all sectors of society is real

in the light of the country’s social, economic,and environmental development objectives.With the increasing demand and use of thegeographic information system, a nationalframework plan was drafted to recommendan infrastructure of essential and consistentgeographic information produced andmaintained by government entities.

This framework plan became the NSDI.While each agency has its own role in theNSDI, the Mapping Department ofNAMRIA is currently addressing one of itscomponents which is focused onstructuring the fundamental datasetsproduced within the institutional frameworkand are fully compliant with technicalstandards. Through this, the establishmentof the National Common Spatial Database(NCSD) was undertaken. Its objectivesinclude the establishment of the NCSD todigitize and update NAMRIA’s base datasuch as topographic maps, aerialphotographs, satellite imageries, and otherland information data; produce a forestlandboundary delineation digital database; andcreate image mapping of selected smallislands. It likewise aims to establish a GIS

On NSDI and NCSDby Engr. Mary Jane R. Montemor*

*Engineer II, Cartography Division, Mapping Department

Data Center and to upgrade NAMRIA’scapacity to house the NCSD. It is a projectto transform all base maps of NAMRIA intoan updated and GIS-ready database.

To address the needs brought about bynew developments in informationtechnology and the concurrent effort of allgovernment offices to construct an effectivedata management system, the production ofdigital topographic maps is in progress tobe one of the fundamental datasets for theproject. The topographic maps at standardscales of 1:50,000 and 1:10,000 are now beingdigitized and updated to meet the technicalstandards required in the fundamentaldataset by the NSDI.

Medium-scale mapping at 1:50,000accuracy level covers the whole countrywhich is about 300,000 square kilometers.This phase consists of the following majoractivities: (1) acquisition of satellite imageriesto update planimetry of old topographicmaps; (2) production of digital terrain modelat a 50-meter grid which is currently underresearch and development for a standardprocessing procedure; (3) production of adigital orthoimage at 1:50,000 scale; (4)digitization and editing of maps; (5)integration and data structuring for GIS; and(6) cartographic enhancement. The

topographic base map will consist offundamental geoinformation such ascontours, roads and railways, hydrology(rivers, lakes, and coastal lines), publicbuildings and structures, vegetation,administrative boundaries and geographicnames.

Large-scale mapping at the 1:10,000accuracy level covers only urban andpriority areas in the country. Therecommended geospatial databasing at thisscale is ongoing, to cover populated centersof about 10% of the entire land area of thePhilippines from new aerial photographsand high resolution satellite imageries. Thegeodatabase will primarily consist of roadsand railways, rivers, coastal lines and lakes,contours, buildings, vegetation cover,annotation and administrative boundaries.This phase consists of: (1) GPS and aerialphotography; (2) aerial triangulation; (3)digital terrain modeling at a 20-meter grid;(4) digital orthophoto production; (5)photogrammetric compilation; (6) fieldcompletion and data validation; and (7) dataintegration, structuring, and design.

The Mapping Department, with itsongoing projects such as GeohazardMapping and PRS92, is presentlystructuring a system integration of all its

1:250,000 - suggested scalefor regional planning

1:50,000 - suggested scalefor provincial planning

1:10,000 - suggested scalefor city/town planning

...continued on page 17

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With all this in mind, the READY Project adheres to the basicprinciple of distributed data and standards. The agencies involvedin the project are preparing and managing specific thematic mapswith integrated provincial and municipal thematic hazards mapsas the final outputs. Each agency prepares the specific thematiclayers and submits these to NAMRIA for integration. The mapthemes are as follows: for PHIVOLCSground rupture, groundshaking, liquefaction, earthquake-induced landslides, andvolcanic; for PAGASA-DOSTtsunami, rainfall-inducedlandslides, and storm surge; and for MGB-DENRfloods andflashfloods. The base maps at 1:50,000 as well as 1:10,000 scales,on which the specific thematic maps prepared by the agencies areoverlaid, are prepared and distributed by NAMRIA.

Eventually, all member agencies of the READY project willbecome integral parts of the sectoral nodes of the NSDI. Eachagency is expected to develop its own fundamental dataset thatwill form part of the distributed databases of the entireinfrastructure and will service the needs of the general public.Particularly, the sectoral node to which the READY agenciesbelong will address the needs of the community in terms ofdisaster management and emergency response information. Likeany other thematic information, the hazard maps will be reckonedfrom the base information of NAMRIA which in turn will be a vitalcontent of the NSDI. w

The “Hazard Mapping and Assessment for Effective Community-based Disaster Risk Management” or READY Project is beingsponsored by the United Nations Development Programme

and the Government of Australia. The project has three significantaims: at the local level, to address the problem of disaster riskmanagement (DRM); at the national level, to institutionalize andstandardize DRM measures and processes; and at the communitylevel, to empower the most vulnerable municipalities and cities in thecountry and enable them to prepare DRM plans.

The project is spearheaded by the Office of Civil Defense-National Disaster Coordinating Council (OCD-NDCC). Also involvedin the project are two agencies of the Department of Science andTechnology (DOST)the Philippine Institute of Volcanology andSeismology (PHIVOLCS) and the Philippine Atmospheric,Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA);and two agencies of the Department of Environment and NaturalResources (DENR)the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) andNAMRIA.

In NAMRIA, the Mapping Department is tasked to provide theraster-rectified and the vector file of topographic maps, while theInformation Management Department (IMD) and the Remote Sensingand Resource Data Analysis Department (RSRDAD) are tasked forthe project with the data integration, preparation of map layouts, andconduct of information, education, and communication (IEC) activities.To date, the RSRDAD has submitted the final integrated provincialand municipal maps for Surigao Del Norte and Surigao Del Sur. Onthe other hand, the IMD prepared and submitted the integratedprovincial maps for the provinces of Bohol, Leyte, and SouthernLeyte. Both the IMD and the RSRDAD also participated in IECactivities for the project such as conducting lectures on mapappreciation and preparing flyers and posters for distribution to thelocal government units.

From READY Integrated Mapping to NSDIThe Philippines’ NSDI is a national initiative to provide all

Filipinos with better access to essential geographic information. TheNSDI’s main objective is to provide users of geographic informationwith complete and consistent datasets and to meet their requirementsat the national level, even though the data is collected and maintainedby different agencies. The NSDI will help achieve better outcomesfor the country through better economic, social, and environmentaldecision making.

The NSDI is backed by standards, guidelines, and policies oncommunity access to that data, to support the country’s economicgrowth and its social and environmental concerns. It is not plannedto be a central dataset, but rather a distributed network of databases,managed by individual custodians with the expertise and incentiveto maintain them and who are committed to the principles ofcustodianship.

The READY Project and the NSDIby Jaime P. Mallare*

*Officer-in-Charge, Database Management Division, IMD

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...continued on page 18

Conversion, Transformation, and Integration into PRS92:The Continuing Challenge

by Olivia R. Molina*

Figure 1: Location of pilot sites

The Philippines has no standardnational reference system for all itssurveys and mapping activities, thus

the creation of the Philippine ReferenceSystem of 1992 (PRS92). Pursuant toExecutive Order (EO) number 45 as amendedby EOs 280 and 321, PRS92 became theflagship project of NAMRIA. A sub-component of this project deals with thedevelopment and formulation of effectiveprocedural guidelines in the treatment andprocessing of land classification (LC) mapsand other environment and naturalresources (ENR) datasets for the PRS92system. These shall be adopted by DENRRegional Offices and are also for theeffective implementation of LC matters andmanagement of the country’s remainingnatural resources. The LC Division underthe NAMRIA Remote Sensing and ResourceData Analysis Department (RSRDAD) is thelead group in the implementation of the

conversion, transformation, andintegration of LC maps and ENR datasetsinto PRS92.

The LC maps and other ENR datasetscan be part of the fundamental datasets ofNAMRIA, together with the base mapswhich the agency is mandated to generate.NAMRIA serves as the clearinghouse forall of the digital databases or geographicinformation for the sectoral nodes of theprojected NSDI for the Philippines.

The Process…The three pilot sites for the activities

were chosen to represent the country’smajor island groups: Benguet in Luzon,Biliran in the Visayas, and Davao del Surin Mindanao (Figure 1). Benguet is alandlocked and mountainous province,Biliran is an island province, and Davaodel Sur is a coastal province. These threeprovinces will serve as test areas to

determine the best procedure to transformthe LC lines into PRS92. Office work, fieldobservation, and verification were conductedin these pilot areas. The LC Division alsoformulated draft guidelines on thetransformation and integration of LC mapsinto PRS92. A process flowchart (Figure 2)to serve as a reference was also developed.It involves the following phases: mapdatabase creation, LC map replotting andcompilation, recovery and reconstruction oflost/missing LC maps, recovery of existingmonuments, and map transformation andintegration of LC and other ENR datasets intoPRS92.

…The Results…Based on the draft guidelines and the

process flowchart, the following have so far

Figure 2: Process flowchart of integration and transformation to PRS92

*Chief, LC Division, RSRDAD

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*ENC Development Unit, Hydrographic Survey Division, NAMRIA CGSD

New tools for better chartsby Ensign Ali M. Chavez and Ensign Cherrylene A. Nuñez*

To complement NAMRIA’s support of the network of digitaldatabases known as the NSDI, there are programs nowavailable to the agency that can clearly project the features

seen in paper charts and electronic navigational charts (ENCs).These are the HYPACK and the TNTmips. The HYPACK is a toolin displaying and analyzing the multibeam survey files and tide andcorrection files while the TNTmips is a GIS software for overlayingcoastline topographic survey with new soundings from themultibeam survey. With these in hand, images needed for the NSDIcan be accurately and easily produced.

The HYPACK Survey System was introduced in 2006 to theNAMRIA Coast and Geodetic Survey Department (CGSD) througha project to enhance the agency’s hydrographic capabilities fornavigational safety. The project, which was funded and supportedby the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), aimed tohave new multibeam surveys done of major ports and harbors inthe Philippines. Projected outputs of the new surveys includednew paper charts and updated ENCs.

The project commenced in March 2006 with the installation ofa new survey system in the motor launch (ML-JP1) of BRPHYDROGRAPHER PRESBITERO. The system included HYPACKSurvey computers for data acquisition, GPS receivers forpositioning, the TSS-DMS (but replaced by POSMV a year after)for the motion sensor, and the RESON SeaBat 8101 for the multibeamechosounding. This HYPACK software, which is integrated toGPS receivers, motion sensor, and echosounder, is a suite ofprograms that assist in collecting and processing data pertinent tosurveying and dredging projects. It contains powerful tools forquick display and design of planned survey lines, tide correction

(Top)In BRPH PRESBITERO’s post-processing room, commissioned officerslearn from JICA expert Mr. Heiji Sakamoto(seated with his back to the camera) aboutthe processing procedures of bathymetricdata gathered by the ship using HypackMAXX version 6.2 .(Left)CGSD Commissioned Officers, withan outboard motor operator and a boatcrew, launch in Manila Bay the Expendable

Bathy Thermograph (XBT) under the supervision of JICA expert Mr. HeijiSakamoto (seated facing front) to determine the general characteristics ofthe survey area before or during a hydrographic survey.

and sound velocity correction databases, and other files to assurecomplete and accurate results.

The HYPACK Survey System is helping enhance thehydrographic capability of CGSD. Before this project was launched,only a singlebeam echosounder was being used to survey shallowwater areas. This kind of echosounder has limited capability andlow accuracy compared to the multibeam echosounder. Having amultibeam echosounder like the RESON SeaBat 8101 increases theaccuracy of gathered data since it has the capability of 100% bottomcoverage survey. With this, the entire seafloor can be examined forobstructions, shoals, and wrecks.

The Manila North and South Harbor, Cebu Harbor andapproaches, and Batangas Bay and vicinity were the pilot areas ofthe project. The project instructions for Manila Harbor includedthe verification of existing wrecks, shoals, and obstructions, andthe hydrographic survey of entrance channels to piers. The surveywas conducted on 28 July 2006-20 September 2006. The survey forthe Cebu Harbor project, with the same instructions as the ManilaHarbor project, was done on 18 October 2006–08 November 2006.The survey for Batangas Bay and vicinity was done in October2007.

Japanese experts including long-term expert Mr. Heiji Sakamotoprovided technical assistance to the project. They conductedtrainings to familiarize the CGSD-NAMRIA technical staff with thesystem. They also conducted frequent inspections of the status ofthe project and monitored the capability of personnel in handlingthe new survey system.

In addition to the HYPACK Survey System, the TNTmips GISsoftware was also introduced. TNTmips is a professional system

Motor Launch Jaime Presbitero 1 (ML-JP1), equipped with the newly installedRESON SeaBat 8101 transducer, is lifted using the winch in preparation foranother day of surveying.

News

15Inf mapper

equipped in making plans and actions to mitigate the adverseimpacts of the hazards in their localities. An identical one-dayworkshop for selected elementary and high school teachers includesbasic instructions on reading maps, tracking typhoons, utilizingrain gauges, and the conduct of earthquake drills in school. It isexpected that after the workshops, all participants will conductecho workshops to their constituents and fellow teachers.

The remaining provinces that are scheduled for IEC campaignsuntil 2011 are: Pampanga, Zamboanga del Sur, Northern Samar,Eastern Samar, Zambales, Laguna, Antique, Ilocos Sur, Catanduanes,Abra, Quirino, Agusan del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya, Cagayan, Isabela,Zamboanga Sibugay, Rizal, Iloilo, Ilocos Norte and Benguet. Themember agencies involved take turns in organizing the IECs. TheREADY Project is supported by the UNDP, the Australian Agencyfor International Development, and the NDCC. w

READY Project prepares provinces for disastersby John SF. Fabic*

The multiagency READY Project has to date conducted IECcampaigns in seven of the 27 target provinces since itsinception in 2006. The seven provinces are Surigao Del

Norte (November 2006), Surigao del Sur (November 2006), Leyte(August-September 2007), Southern Leyte (December 2007), Bohol(February 2008), Aurora (May 2008), and Cavite (June-July 2008).

The READY IECs mainly focus on seminars and workshopson the results of the multihazard mapping, a collaborative activityof NAMRIA, PHIVOLCS, PAGASA, MGB-DENR, and OCD. Theparticipants in the IECs are municipal and city mayors, disasteraction officers, local planners and engineers, barangay captains,teachers, and other local government officials. The IECs covertopics on Map Appreciation; Results of the Hazards Mapping onStorm Surge, Rain-Induced Landslide, Ground Rupture, GroundShaking, Earthquake-Induced Landslide, Liquefaction, andTsunami; Early Warning System for Flood and Tsunami; andPhilippine Disaster Management System and ContingencyPlanning.

During the workshops, participants are provided with hazardmaps, which will help them evaluate the hazards present in theirrespective areas. By knowing the dangers they are susceptible to,the municipal and barangay officials become further and better

Provincial IEC activities:

*Director I, IMD

One of the seminar-workshops held in Bohol in February 2008

A READY resource person explains the hazard map to barangay captains.

for fully integrated GIS, image analysis, CAD, TIN, desktopcartography, and geospatial database management. To start with,three CGSD-NAMRIA technical personnel were sent to Japan fortwo months to undergo comprehensive training in the use of thissoftware. Their work assignment is the integration of new soundinginformation to old charts and/or creation of new charts. CARIS GISsoftware is, however, still considered in generating the final outputsof paper charts, new ENCs, and updated ENCs.

All in all, the equipment given by JICA for the duration of theproject were the portable pressure-type tide gauges, desktopcomputers and laptops for data acquisition and processing, plotterand printers, scanner, latest versions of HYPACK and TNTmipssoftware and their respective software keys, and the HYPACKSurvey System.

A month before it ended, a Japan Evaluation Mission Teamwas dispatched to assess the status of the project. With the conductof the set site inspections, a project presentation, and discussions,the project was finished in March 2008.

In addition to the three pilot areas, the Pakiputan Strait in Davaoand part of Saranggani Bay in General Santos were also surveyedusing the HYPACK Survey System in 2007. Then in February 2008,a new multibeam survey was conducted in Manila Bay coveringportions of the Manila North and South Harbor and ManilaInternational Port Terminal. Matnog Bay in Sorsogon was alsosurveyed in May 2008. The next areas scheduled to be surveyedthis year are Dumaguete, Iloilo Strait, and Cagayan de Oro. w

New tools...from page 14

16 Inf mapper

*Senior Remote Sensing Technologist, LC Division, RSRDAD**Senior Science and Research Specialist, PHIVOLCS-DOST

Mayon Volcano which is situatedin the Province of Albay,Southern Luzon is the most

active volcano in the Philippines.Approximately a million people in seventowns inhabit the volcanic slopes whichare constantly threatened by variousvolcanic hazards, among which are rain-lahar inundation hazards. The mostdevastating recorded instance of thesehazards in recent years occurred inNovember 2006 due to Super TyphoonReming. The lahars caused significantchanges in the topography andhydrography of the southern slopes andin the existing danger characterization.

In April 2007-February 2008, a mini-project sponsored by the Japan AerospaceExploration Agency (JAXA) wasundertaken by PHIVOLCS-DOST,NAMRIA-DENR, and the GeoinformaticsCenter-Asian Institute of Technology(AIT). Their objective was to delineatecurrent rain-lahar inundation hazardsthrough the modeling of constrained laharvolumes on a digital surface of the southernvolcanic slopes of Mayon. The widelyadopted RS/GIS-based semi-empirical,probabilistic inundation model LAHARZwas utilized for the purpose. The maininput was a post-event digital elevationmodel (DEM) produced by data ofDecember 2006 from the AdvancedSpaceborne Thermal Emission andReflection (ASTER) Radiometer, the earth-looking scanner onboard the Terra satellite.Height to length ratios in the range of 0.20-0.35, characterizing the proximal limits oflahar inundation, were selected by a carefulvisual examination of the ASTER-derivedDEM. Flow volumes ranging in cubic meterfrom 0.25 to 5.0 were simulated within thelimited data resources. Simulations werealso performed using a DEM created fromthe contour data of 1977 for comparisonand interpretation of results.

Agencies complete lahar hazards study of Mayon Volcanoby Estela C. Gumabon* and Mariton V. Bornas**

Through successful model runs, theresulting lahar inundation mapscorresponding to 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and5.0 in cubic meter of flow volumes wereprepared characterizing the associateddanger. These maps show differences in thelateral extents, geometries, and sites ofinundation between the ASTER-derived andthe contour-derived DEM, as expected. Theformer resemble that of small-volume,channel-confined lahar deposits while thelatter replicate that of actual fan-shaped laharaprons or debris deposits. However, some ofthese differences are considered to bepronounced due to the limited accuracy ofsatellite-based topographic data failing tocapture the actual shallow channeltopography with the range of channel widthsof 20-60 meters and depths of 3-20 meters.Had there been high-resolution DEMs suchas those derived from the Advanced Land

Observing Satellite/Panchromatic RemoteSensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping, theerror involved in modeling features of theterrain could have been greatly minimized.

The map outputs are presently featuredin the respective websites of JAXA andAIT. Possibly for this year will beconducted, as the continuation of theproject, volcanic risk assessment and lossestimation covering the same study area. w

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The GCPs ...from page 8

Reviewing ...from page 15

Figure D

On NSDI and NCSD...from page 9

information and the basic GIS tools for the integration of this baseinformation with the users’ or stakeholders’ data. Figure D* below

is the illustration of the data flow between ASTI and the client andbetween ASTI and data-providing agencies.

With the full implementation of NSDI, a call center operator ofa food company is able to view the location of a caller and is able totransmit the delivery order to the store nearest to the caller’s locationjust by knowing the caller’s address or phone number. A utilityservice provider is able to determine the location of and possiblecauses for a service complaint and to quickly dispatch a servicecrew since the information is web-accessible. An elementary pupilis likewise able to learn about Philippine geography by obtaininginformation about maps. These will no longer be just scenarios butrealities. The Philippines will surely reap benefits from its NSDI.w

Depending on the requirement of an application, theappropriate level of accuracy is adopted. Any method of surveyingthat meets the requirement for accuracy may be employed.Appropriate instruments shall be used. Nominal spacing of GCPsis as follows: first-order – 50 kilometers, second-order – 25kilometers, third-order – 10 kilometers, and fourth-order – 5kilometers.

Zero-Order Control PointsNAMRIA is establishing this year 65 zero-order control points

with an accuracy higher than first-order. Nominal spacing for thesepoints will be 100 kilometers. The design was to recover and re-occupy first-order GCPs. To date, eight zero-order points have beensurveyed.

GNISAt NAMRIA, a Geodetic Network Information System (GNIS)

is being maintained. It contains, among others, a description ofeach GCP which includes its geographic location (specifying accessto it and its exact physical position relative to reference marks in itsimmediate vicinity), and geographic coordinates (latitude, longitude,and/or elevation). For a minimal fee per GCP, a certification for eachGCP is issued to a surveyor or mapper who needs to geographicallyreference his survey. The LMS will also soon maintain their ownregional GNIS to facilitate issuance of certification to users in theregion. w

data holdings. NAMRIA and partner agencies such as the Office ofCivil Defense-Department of National Defense (OCD-DND); MGB-DENR; the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and AstronomicalServices Administration (PAGASA); and the Philippine Institute ofVolcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) are implementing theGeohazard Mapping Project under the assistance of the UnitedNations Development Programme. In this project, conversion oftopographic maps into digital database is ongoing in response todisaster risk mitigation nationwide. In the PRS92 Project, the dataintegration component is actively implemented by the MappingDepartment. The data will be consequently part of the fundamentaldatasets needed for NSDI. Transformation of all topographic basemaps into PRS92, the new standard reference for all surveying andmapping activities in the country as stated in EO 45, as amended, isin progress in the national and local levels.

The transformation and standardization of these base mapsinto a geospatial database, together with attribute data that will beaccessible through a network system, will provide easy access tovarious users. The NCSD will stage the transformation of the currenttopographic maps into a new, sophisticated, and GIS-ready databasethat will be used by all government agencies as well as the public asa common reference to all their thematic maps and applications. w

18 Inf mapper

Activity A. Converted LC and ENR maps

Topomaps 6 LC maps 4 ENR maps 21

B. Predetermined corners 28 C. Recovered and observed LC corners 20 D. Transformed LC Corners 470 E. Transformed ENR maps 21 F. Integrate LC and ENR maps 25 G. Lay-out of PRS’92 compliant map 1

Figure 6: Field survey and observation ofexisting monuments

Conversion...from page 13

been achieved (Figures 3-5): (1) Recovery of missing LC maps, (2)Creation of a map database, (3) Replotting and compilation of LCmaps and ENR data, (4) Identification of prominent LC corners, (5)Field observation and surveys, and eventual (6) Transformation ofcompiled LC and ENR maps into PRS92.

Missing LC maps were recovered from the regional officesduring fieldwork and the monitoring of PRS92 outputs wasconducted per region. The numbers of recovered LC maps are asfollows: 3 from Benguet, 1 from Biliran, and 18 from Davao del Sur.Additional data and maps were also gathered during the briefing/seminars held in the three pilot sites. A digital database wasdesigned to accommodate queries and to facilitate LC data storageand retrieval of data and important details provided by the LC maps.

LC and ENR maps were manually replotted in analogue formatusing topographic maps as base maps, which were georeferencedat 1:20,000 scale. These topographic base maps will be used in theprojection and rectification of LC lines and corners which in turnwere based on the technical descriptions of the reference locationsof LC corners. The rates of accomplishment for the compilation andcompletion of LC maps and ENR data for Biliran, Davao del Sur, andBenguet were 100%, 80%, and 70% respectively.

The projected and replotted LC and ENR boundary cornerswere likewise identified through careful examination of the technicaldescriptions indicated in each LC map. The corners fall on naturalor man-made features which are easily identifiable on the ground,such as the mouth of rivers and streams, the junction of rivers orcreeks, boulders, mountain peaks, the junction of roads and trails,Bureau of Lands (BL) monuments (i.e., BL location monuments,barangay boundary monuments, municipal boundary monuments,and provincial boundary monuments), and other topographicfeatures. The corners were tabulated for easy reference. Thecoordinates of the identified corners were extracted/determined andstored in the database.

Field verification (Figure 6) was conducted in each of thethree pilot areas to recover the predetermined LC corners. Therecovered LC and ENR corners were surveyed in accordance withstandard procedures specified in the Manual of Land Surveying,following at least the fourth-order of accuracy. A survey-gradeGlobal Positioning System (GPS) and Conventional (Total Station)survey was applied for corners that were found to be undisturbedand/or corners identical to the BL boundary monuments. In Biliran,20 GPS readings were recorded. They include location monuments,PRS92 controls, field network survey party monuments, the junctionof rivers and creeks, and the mouth of rivers. In Davao del Sur, 39LC corners had GPS readings while 24 LC corners were tracked.

Monuments, however,were not recoveredand the remaining LCcorners were nottracked due to thepeace and ordersituation in thesouthern portion ofthe province. ForBenguet, 49 GPSreadings for LCcorners were recordedwhile 18 LC cornerswere not recovered.Eight PRS92 controlswere also recoveredwhile the remaining

Figure 4: PRS92 transformed map and status of accomplishment forBiliran Province

Figure 5: Partially integrated map and status of accomplishment forDavao del Sur

Figure 3: Partially integrated map and status of accomplishment forBenguet Province

Activity

A. Predetermined Points 84

B. Points Surveyed and ENR 75

Recovered LC and ENR corners 49

Unrecovered LC and ENR corners 18

Recovered PRS’92 controls 13

C. Rectified Topomaps 13

D. Converted LC maps 36

E. Ongoing quality assessment and replotted LC lines

F. Completion of replotting

Activity A. Predetermined Points 88 B. Points Surveyed and ENR 63

Recovered LC and ENR corners 36 Unrecovered LC and ENR corners 24 Recovered PRS’92 Controls 3

C. Rectified Topomaps 28 D. Converted LC maps 84 E. LC corners for transformation 6343 F. On going quality assessment of replotted LC lines

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Findings and RecommendationsGuidelines should be developed to acquire a homogenous

spatial data. Based on the draft guidelines for PRS92 integration,standards were set for each of the major activities such as digitaldata conversion, replotting and compiling, and transforming andintegrating maps.

Currently, the guidelines in transforming and integrating ENRdata into PRS92 are in the final stages of editing. They are alsoscheduled for the PRS92 technical committee’s final review,deliberation, and recommendation to the Secretary of DENR forapproval. The following activities are furthermore recommended,based on the results and data gathered in the three pilot areas:

In the replotting and compilation of old and dilapidated LCmaps, a 50-meter allowable limit of adjustment or buffer should beapplied for all LC lines, since a one millimeter in a 1:50,000-scaletopographic map is equivalent to 50 meters on the ground. Thismay also address the issue of overlapping boundary lines betweenforestlands and cadastral maps.

A survey-grade GPS unit must be used for recovered concretemonuments or markings for a more precise point-position reading.A fourth-order accuracy for GPS position is required to ensure amore correct and accurate re-adjustment and compilation of LC andENR maps for transformation into PRS92.

To complement the use of survey-grade GPS units, a handheldGPS unit would suffice in recording WGS84 coordinates of therecovered predetermined corners. The coordinates of corners foundto be disturbed or not monumented and subsequently fall on naturalfeatures, such as the junction of rivers or creeks and the junction ofroads or trails, can be recorded using handheld GPS instead ofsurvey-grade GPS. Certain factors, however, must be considered toobtain the required degree of accuracy.

The handheld GPS unit should receive at least six satellitesignals during the observation. The location of the LC corner to beobserved by the handheld GPS unit must be free from obstructionscoming from canopies. The elevation mask simulated by themountains should be less than an angle of 45 degrees. The accuracyrating displayed by the handheld GPS unit should be less than 15meters.

Finally, the transformation phase requires a second adjustmentto conform to the ground-surveyed fixed points. The graphicalmethod and the four-parameter solution were tested in thetransformation process. The discrepancies between the twomethods depend on the distribution and frequency of the ground-surveyed points in the adjustment of the project block. The four-parameter solution can be employed if the variances are within atolerable range. Otherwise, the graphical method may suffice. w

LC corners were not investigated due to the harsh terrain,inadequate time, and the peace and order situation in the area.

Finally, the transformation phase required a second adjustmentto conform to the ground-surveyed fixed point. The coordinatesderived from GPS surveys for the predetermined corners were plottedand overlaid in the digitally compiled map. Coordinates of thecompiled LC corners were likewise extracted from the digitallycompiled PRS92 map. The datum shift transformation parametersstated in section 50 of the revised Manual of Surveying Regulationswere used in transforming the LC corners into PRS92. Othertransformation methods were also explored, such as the four-parameter transformation method.

… And the ChallengesNew technologies such as large-format scanners and powerful

desktop computers helped in the preliminary stages of integrationparticularly in the database creation and digital conversion of LCand ENR maps. However, problems and difficulties wereencountered. During their replotting, the old and dilapidated LCmaps were compared with the topographic base maps being usedtoday and overlaid. The contributing factors for the discrepancieswere the type and the accuracy of the equipment that were used inthe survey. In the replotting of LC maps, the high incidence oferrors was observed in the boundary closures and graphicaladjustments of lines and corners, due to the individual’s subjectivereasoning, decision making, interpreting, and plotting of LC mapfeatures on topographic base maps.

Fieldwork and survey activities proved to be challenging forthe pilot study which is at the stage of developing the draftguidelines in transforming and integrating ENR data into PRS92.Sophisticated equipment like the survey-grade GPS, the high-accuracy handheld GPS, and the Total Station Theodolites provedto be indispensable instruments in collecting field survey data. Thehandheld GPS unit is very effective in searching for thepredetermined corners.

Among other problems encountered by the team in the fieldwere the inaccessibility of the sites owing to the rough roads, ruggedterrain, and the peace and order situation in the area whichprevented the recovery and location of some predetermined corners.

The accuracy of the handheld GPS was also assessed using ahigh-precision handheld GPS unit and the survey-grade GPS. Thehandheld GPS unit was found to have an average positional accuracyof + 10 meters when it receives a minimum of five to six satellitesignals, as compared to the survey-grade GPS.

In the transformation phase, a study was also made to determinethe magnitude of changes when the lines are adjusted fordistribution of error. At the same time, the four-parametertransformation adjustment was also tested. The perpendiculardistances were measured in four random sites from the unadjustedline to the graphically adjusted and four-parameter adjusted lines.In both instances, the perpendicular distances between theunadjusted and the adjusted lines were observed. Initial findingsindicated that there is no conclusive evidence to show that one isbetter than the other. As long as the variances are within thetolerable limit, both methods can be employed. The adjustmentswere found to be dependent on the location of the ground-surveyedLC points and how they are evenly spaced out (Figure 7).

Figure 7

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Map page

*Remote Sensing Technologist II, GISADD, RSRDAD

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Log-in page

NAMRIA, through the RSRDAD,carried out the Delineation ofBoundary of Clark Freeport Zone

(CFZ) as part of the second phase of theCSEZ Sub-Zone Project for the ClarkDevelopment Corporation (CDC) under aMemorandum of Agreement.

The completed activities in 2006 duringthe first phase of the project include: (1)Development of the Integrated RegulatoryDatabase System (IRDS) for CDC–Buildingand Utilities Regulatory Department(BURD); (2) Establishment of GPS surveyand control points; and (3) Densification ofboundary monuments for the Sub-ZoneEastern Boundary.

For the second phase of the project,activities include (1) the survey/delineationof the CFZ boundary, physically definingits 4,400 hectare-area which is composed ofthe CDC Main Zone and the propertiesleased to BB International ResortCorporation and former True North Golfcourse, which are situated in the westernportion; and (2) the establishment/installation of third-order GPS surveycontrol points within the CFZ. All surveyswere tied to PRS92 GPS reference points andcertified by the CGSD.

Aside from the delineation, anothermajor activity is the continuing upgradingand development of the IRDS. The IRDSserves as the central repository ofalphanumeric and graphical data of the

CDC CSEZ Sub-Zone Project (Phase II)by Rosalyn D. Sontillanosa*

BURD for efficient data management. It is aweb-deployed, integrated, and structureddatabase created using an open source webGIS application like Apache Web Server,PHP, PostgreSQL with PostGIS extension,and UMN Mapserver. Through this system,the various sections of the department cannow access a single multiuser databaseserver, update data from it, steering clear ofconcurrency and integrity conflicts, andextract up-to-date data efficiently. The IRDScan be described as a combination of threecomponents: portal, database, and map.

The portal component is composed ofhtml pages delivered via the Apache WebServer as user interface to the system. Thisis where user validation and requests areinterpreted and stored to be passed on laterto either the database or the mapcomponent of the system for processing.The database component, on the otherhand, is the structured storage mechanismfor the alphanumeric data of the system. Itis a behind-the-scenes, back-endcomponent. It was developed using theopen-source relational databasemanagement system (RDBMS) softwarePostgreSQL, whose robustness andstability rival the expensive closed-sourceRDBMS software like DB2 and Oracle.Lastly, the map component is also back-endlike the database component. The behind-the-scenes component is run by UMNMapserver using PHP-Mapscript as thescripting interface. w

A sample pre-installed monument

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