news and events
	regional updates
	regional accomplishments

All surveys originated from Balanacan   Administrator Diony A. Ventura directed a team led by Assistant Director Randolf S. Vicente and Assistant Director Nelson M. de Leon on 21 May 2008. The team’s missions were to conduct detailed site inspection at the triangulation stations “Balanacan” and “Baltazar” and to coordinate with the local government units and other officials concerned. June 02. The team made a short stop in Candelaria, Quezon to take photos of the newly established active geodetic station. All roads and seas led to Mogpog in Marinduque despite the cancelled departure of the fast craft due to broken air conditioning system.         Courtesy call and briefing at the Office of the Governor, Provincial Capitol, Santol, Boac, Marinduque. The provincial government led by Governor Jose Antonio N. Carrion warmly received the delegation and expressed full support to its tasks and to the future collaborations between NAMRIA and the province.     June 03. The NAMRIA team, together with staff from the provincial government, the Municipality of Mogpog, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office-Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Police Community Precinct, set out to Barangay Hinanggayon in Mogpog at 7:30 in the morning started its ascent of Mataas na Bundok at 7:40 and reached the summit at 9:10. The reasons for the mission: the datum origin and its reference markers     Noontime courtesy call and discussions with the municipal officials led by Mogpog Mayor Senen M. Livelo, Jr. Two hills in a day... The Municipality of Gasan beckoned.     Bound for the azimuth in Baltazar Island of the Tres Reyes Islands at 2:30 in the afternoon... Where a 1950s lighthouse stands...     Now a 1990s lighthouse prevails and replaced the old beacon whose purported base was found under a rambling house. The new lighthouse was built by the Maritime Safety Improvement Project of the Maritime Industry Authority.           June 04. After wrapping up its activities, the NAMRIA Site Inspection Team leaves Marinduque full of beautiful memories of the historic place in Philippine surveying and mapping. When will it see the mystifying island again?

  News and Events

08.10.2008 NAMRIA acquires high-end gravimeter

NAMRIA purchased a CG-5 Autograv system from Scintrex Limited of Canada. The instrument is one of the most versatile and advanced gravity systems for microgravity applications. It is a microprocessor-based automated gravity meter that has a measurement range of over 8000 mGals without resetting and a reading resolution of 0.001 mGal. This enables the Autograv to be used for both detailed field investigations and large-scale regional or geodetic surveys. It has also a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver that allows the user to read the grid reference point for each station coordinate.

One of the components of PRS92 is the Geodetic Network Development (GND). Under GND, it has two sub-components, the horizontal and the vertical reference network. A geodetic reference system always refers to the horizontal and vertical components.  The gravity survey, tide measurements, and geodetic leveling are the vertical components. The gravity survey will enable the definition of a geoid model for the Philippines, which in turn could determine heights above mean sea level using GPS. A critical activity to define a geoid model is the gravity survey of various gravity stations and benchmarks.  NAMRIA targets to re-survey and re-establish 80 gravity base stations in order to determine the local gravity values in defining the country’s geoid model.

05.13.2008 NAMRIA in PRS92 project launching in Pangasinan

The Philippine Reference System of 1992 (PRS92) project was introduced in the 5th District of Pangasinan on 09 May 2008 in Sison, Pangasinan with Congressman Mark O. Cojuangco hosting the event, in partnership with DENR Region 1. The district has eight municipalities (i.e., Sison, Pozorrubio, Binalonan, Laoac, Villasis, Sto. Tomas, Alcala, and Bautista) and 1 city (Urdaneta).

The event likewise introduced the Adopt-a-Mojon program to all the local executives in the district.    NAMRIA Administrator Diony A. Ventura, in his message, expressed gratitude to Congressman Cojuangco for supporting the PRS92 project and mobilizing the local executives in his district to advocate the significance of mojons.  Administrator Ventura also assured Congressman Cojuangco and the mayors of NAMRIA’s technical assistance in Pangasinan in future endeavours.

Congressman Cojuangco in turn highlighted in his own message the support given by NAMRIA with regard to PRS92 under the stewardship of Administrator Ventura in his district.  The district has 6 second and 9 third order geodetic control points and an Active Geodetic Station in Urdaneta City. He also expressed the hope of a possible future collaboration with the agency in implementing his district-wide projects on drainage management, land administration, and physical framework planning, among others.  As a legislator and the Vice-Chairperson of the Appropriations Committee, he suggested to NAMRIA to submit its budget proposal to Congress for the conduct of the regular recovery and validation of established higher-order geodetic control points and the use of the Airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) technology in mapping.    

NAMRIA Director Linda SD. Papa presented the functions and major activities of NAMRIA, the PRS92 project, and the Adopt-a-Mojon program; while LCDR Herbert L. Catapang presented on the LIDAR technology.   The highlight of the occasion was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding  between DENR Region 1 and the district mayors for the adoption of mojons located in their respective  areas.

Aside from   the mayors, vice-mayors, respective presidents of the Association of Barangay Captains, and assessors; the Regional Executive Director, the technical staff of the Land Management Services, and staff members of the Regional Public Affairs Office were also present in the gathering along with NAMRIA officials and staff.

03.17.2008 NAMRIA hosts PRA for PRS92

NAMRIA hosted two separate Program Review and Analysis (PRA) gatherings for PRS92 activities, one at the NAMRIA Board Room  on 10 March 2008 (for private contractors on densification of second-, third-, and fourth-order PRS92 points and first-order leveling), and the other at the New Horizon Oriental Hotel in Mandaluyong City on 12-13 March 2008 (for the regional offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources [DENR]. 

Each PRA served as the venue for the  presentation and evaluation of the respective 2007 accomplishments of the private contractors and the DENR.  In both occasions, NAMRIA Administrator Diony A. Ventura enjoined all those concerned to complete their targets by March 2008.  He thanked them for their  contributions to accomplishing the 2007 targets of PRS92.  Aside from the DENR Regional Technical Directors, the composite survey teams from the Land Management Services and Forest Management Services nationwide, the participants also included regional planning and budget officers.   

A planning workshop for the DENR participants was also conducted on the second day of the gathering. Regional targets and financial plans for 2008 were presented and reviewed.

 






  Regional Updates

06.23.08 - NAMRIA in IEC activities in Mt. Province and Camarines Sur

NAMRIA presented  the PRS92 and the Adopt-A-Mojon program during  a special session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Mt. Province in Bontoc on June 10. The information campaign in the Mt. Province was conducted to enlighten the local executives of the province on PRS92 project, the importance of mojons in the locality and the need to protect them in order to prevent further destruction.  Earlier this year, NAMRIA received a report that a newly established geodetic control point (GCP) in Bauko, Mt. Provinces was uprooted by the residents because they thought it was a boundary marker. The GCP was situated in the boundary between the municipalities of Bauko and Sabangan. The Mt. Province presently has a total of 69 first-, second-, and third-order geodetic control GCPs.

The gathering was attended by Mt. Province  Governor Maximo Dalog; Vice-Governor Louis Claver, Jr; 14 Sangguniang Panlalawigan members; municipal mayors of Barlig, Besao, and Sadanga, and Bauko secretary to the mayor. Representatives from NAMRIA were Assistant Director Enrique Macaspac, Concepcion Bringas, Jose Aguilar and Denver Renon. DENR-CAR were represented by Victor Carantes, RTD for Lands; Benjamin Ventura, Chief of Surveys Division; Maximo Macli-ing, CENRO Sabangan and other technical staff.   

A similar presentation was made by NAMRIA on PRS92 Project and Adopt-a-Mojon Program on 06 June 2008.   The occasion was the Geodetic Engineers of the Philippines (GEP) 34th National Convention and the Directorate Meeting which was held in Cadlan, Pili, Camarines Sur.    During the convention there was also  signing of Memorandum of Agreement between  the Province of Camarines Sur  and DENR Region V for the adoption of mojons in the province.   A ceremonial establishment of PRS92 GCP was likewise held at the Provincial Convention Center, Cadlan Pili,Camarines Sur on the second day of the convention.

01.17.2008 Mexico, Pampanga adopts mojons

The municipality of Mexico, Pampanga represented by Mayor Teddy Tumang and the DENR represented by DENR Regional Executive Director Regidor De Leon  signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to adopt mojons in their locality last 16 January 2008.     

The municipality of Mexico was among the first municipalities in Pampanga to support the PRS92 project. The DENR Region 3 has completed the recovery of old geodetic control points or mojons in the area.  The coordination for the adoption of mojons was done last year by the DENR regional office and NAMRIA with the office of the mayor through his representative, Head Executive Assistant Engr. Jesus Punzalan.

12.19.2007 Zamboanga del Norte supports PRS92 Adopt-a-Mojon Program

Eight municipalities of Zamboanga del Norte signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DENR for the adoption of mojons in their respective localities.   These are the municipalities of Rizal, Sibutad, Dapitan, Piñan, Sergio Osmeña, Leon B. Postigo, Salug, and Liloy.  The signing for the first district was held in Liloy on 17 December 2007, and in Dapitan City on 18 December 2007 for the second and third districts.   

DENR Regional Executive Director Ernesto Adobo was present in the two signing events together with Mayors Roseller Manigsaca (Rizal),  Benito Tolentino (Sibutad), Ricardo Sabandal (Piñan),  Augustine Magsalay (Sergio Osmeña),  Rolando Tablezo (Leon B. Postigo),  Jesus Lim (Salug), and Jaime Lim (Liloy). Vice-Mayor Patri Chan of Dapitan City was also in attendance.

After each signing event, the respective presidents of the Association of Barangay Councils in Liloy and Dapitan gave their messages of support for the PRS92 Project and the Adopt-a-Mojon Program.  The activity was coordinated by DENR Region 9 PAO Chief Ruben Rubia and CENROs Edgardo Callanta of Liloy and  Rolando Cimafranca of Dapitan.

11.29.2007 Adopt-a-Mojon MOA-signing for Region 4-A

The municipality of Siniloan, Laguna signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DENR for the Adopt-a-Mojon Program in a simple ceremony held in Los Baños, Laguna on 28 November 2007.  It was the first local government unit in Region 4-A to support the program.  

The MOA-signing was participated in by Regional Executive Director Eduardo Principe for the DENR and Barangay Chairman Emeterio Ortega for Siniloan Mayor Cesar Pelaez. NAMRIA Director Linda SD. Papa, Regional Technical Director for Lands Romeo Verzosa, and Ugat Tuod Association of Kapatalan President Arthur Balballosa witnessed the event.

         

         

PRS92 Accomplishments

GEODETIC NETWORK DEVELOPMENT
(26 May 2008)

1. Horizontal Control Network

Order	Established	Encoded
2nd	277	277
3rd	272	272

Order	Target	Established	Submitted	Evaluated
2nd	1102	1164	542	325
3rd	1102	995	467	278
4th	4758	2959	885	303

Densification of PRS92 geodetic controls by Global Positioning System

2. Vertical Control Netwrok

	Established	Encoded
benchmarks*	1095	72

	Established	Submitted
benchmarks*	5970	6127

* Leveling requires the accurate establishment of the elevation of each and every point called benchmark. Geodetic levelling of benchmarks is done to establish the elevations above the mean sea level (MSL) of the geodetic control points (GCPs). 

3. Established Tide Stations

Total no. of tide stations established	13
Total no. of tide stations in operation	12

Claveria tide station is for relocation due to erosion and environmental conditions.

TRANSFORMATION AND INTEGRATION

There was a notable accomplishment in the inventory of map data and digitization of mapsunder the Data Transformation and Integration (DTI)  component of the PRS92 project.  The  project aims in part to transform and integrate the cadastral data or all of the cadastral surveys and maps of the Land Management Sectors of the DENR.

GEODETIC NETWORK INFORMATION SYSTEM

The accomplishments so far are three developed national GNIS; the completed first version of a regional GNIS, pilot tested in Region IV-A; the developed ICT support systems featuring the data encoding system for the Land Survey Data Management System and the Meta Data Entry for environment and natural resources datasets; and finally, the conduct of training of all DENR regional offices (except Region IX) for the developed  Microsoft SQL Server latest version.

Download PRS92 first quarter newsletter.