Dr. Peter N. Tiangco, NAMRIA Administrator, led the Philippine Delegation to the Seventh Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) held at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA on 31 July to 04 August, 2017. The annual session provides a platform for Member States and thematic groups to engage in dialogues on innovations for geospatial information management (GIM). This year’s session was participated in by over 400 senior officials and executives from national geospatial information and statistical authorities within Member States, and international geospatial experts from across the globe.
During the plenary session, Dr. Tiangco, as co-chair with Mr. Mark Codling of Jamaica of the Working Group on Disasters, reported the developments on the Strategic Framework for Geospatial Information and Services for Disasters. Mr. Codling presented the future programs and activities of the Working Group. Further details were articulated by the co-chairs during their keynote presentation at the Side Event on Geospatial Information and Services for Disasters (GIS4D). Panel presentations on case studies and best practices on the implementation of the strategic framework, as well as innovations in research on GIM for disaster risk management (DRM) were also provided during the event. This resulted to the identification of expected outcomes and prospective activities of the Working Group on Disasters.
Administrator Tiangco (left) together with Mr. Codling of Jamaica (center) and
Mr. Kyoung-Soo Eom of UN-GGIM at the Side Event for GIS4D
Considered as a landmark document of the UN-GGIM, the strategic framework provides guidance for Member States in making available and accessible all quality geospatial information and services before, during, and after disasters. The document was presented in various conferences and fora, and was subjected to a global consultation in February 2017 to solicit comments and recommendations. Its final version was formally approved by the UN-GGIM Bureau after receiving wide support from 34 Member States and other thematic groups present during the plenary session. The Bureau also decided to endorse the framework to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) through a resolution. To sponsor said endorsement, the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the UN expressed its commitment to the framework, and the future activities of the Working Group.
Administrator Tiangco and the rest of the Philippine Delegation during a courtesy call
on the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations
In the same session, Dr. Tiangco also served as a panelist in the UN-GGIM Forum on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He demonstrated the geospatial data needs for DRM in measuring and monitoring the Philippines’ progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Major outcomes from NAMRIA’s Philippine Geoportal and Unified Mapping Projects, as well as the initiatives of the Information Management – Technical Working Group (IM-TWG) of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) were cited in his presentation.
The other members of the Philippine Delegation were Ms. Irene Susan Natividad, Ms. Maria Angela Ponce and Ms. Ninin Joy Sampiano from the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the UN; Assistant Secretary Bresilda Gervacio and Ms. Lolita Presbitero from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); and Deputy Administrator Efren Carandang, GISMB Director John Santiago Fabic and Information System Analysts Rosal Dolanas and Annrou Ramos from NAMRIA.
Readers can email
newscoop@namria.gov.ph or fax letters to +63-2 8884-2855 for their comments and suggestions.
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