NAMRIA hosted its first-ever DENR flag-raising ceremony under Sec. Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga. The activity was held at the DENR Central Office in Quezon City on 10 July 2023.

 

Resource Data Analysis Branch (RDAB) Asst. Dir. Violeta A. Quiliza opened the program with a prayer, followed by the singing of the Philippine National Anthem led by Ms. Julienne Louise P. Serazon of Administrative Division (AD)-Support Services Branch (SSB). The recitation of the Panunumpa ng Katapatan sa Watawat ng Pilipinas was led by OIC-DA Ofelia T. Castro and the Panunumpa ng Lingkod Bayan by Hydrography Branch (HB) Asst. Dir. Carter S. Luma-ang. RDAB OIC Sylvia L. Esperanza led the recitation of the NAMRIA Mission and Vision; Mapping and Geodesy Branch OIC-Asst. Dir. Brian A. Dela Cruz, the DENR Mission and Vision; Maritime Affairs Division-HB OIC LCdr. Lorena Jasmin D. Lerio, the NAMRIA Service Pledge; and Geospatial Information System Management Branch OIC-Asst. Dir. Arlene B. Brillantes, the DENR Quality Policy. Human Resources Management Section-AD-SSB OIC Zenaida A. Leaño acted as the emcee of the activity.

 

In his message during the program's information sharing, NAMRIA Administrator, Usec. Peter N. Tiangco, PhD said that NAMRIA is pleased and grateful for the attendance of DENR Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga and Usec. Augusto D. Dela Peña during the agency's 36th anniversary celebration on 30 June 2023. Administrator Tiangco also enumerated some of NAMRIA's accomplishments to date. These accomplishments include, among others: the updating of the Land Cover Map of the Philippines and its distribution to various stakeholders; the approval of the NAMRIA Open Data Policy; the agency's participation as a member of the Philippine delegation to the 32nd Meeting of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York City; the establishment of numerous ties and partnerships with international and regional organizations, including a number of projects from UN, World Bank, and Asian Development Bank; the release of a commemorative stamp, with the help of the Philippine Postal Corporation, to celebrate the 10th anniversary marking the official recognition of the Extended Continental Shelf in the Philippine Rise; the location of the sunken oil tanker, Motor Tanker Princess Empress via the NAMRIA survey vessel, Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas Hydrographer Ventura; the conduct of trainings, through the NAMRIA Geomatics Training Center, such as for the Climate Resilient Cities Project of non-governmental organizations like the Philippine Disaster Resiliency Foundation; the agency's partnership with different elementary and secondary schools in the country for the conduct of the Abot-Mapa activities; the opening anew of NAMRIA's doors to onsite educational tours after the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; the conduct of a virtual orientation assembly for the NAMRIA youth entitled "It's up to YOUth," in line with the celebration of the 2023 Philippines' Earth Day; and the engagement with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development for a possible major undertaking where NAMRIA's data and expertise can be of great assistance.