Inf mapper - NAMRIA · inf mapper 5 industry development and facilitate active participation in geographic information acquisition, development, and provisioning to local and global

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

Volume XII ISSN-0117-1674 July 2005

The Philippine

GeodeticNetwork

The Philippine

GeodeticNetwork

inf mapper2

InfomapperEDITORIAL BOARD

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

EDITORIAL STAFFExecutive Editor – John SF. Fabic • Editor-in-Chief – Milagros F. Viernes

Managing Editors – Maria Romina dR. Pe Benito & Xenia R. Andres • News Editor – Concepcion A. BringasStaff Writers – Elinor C. delos Reyes, Chester C. Nicolas, Benjamin T. de Leon, George T. Corpuz, & Anna Marie L. Fallorina

Contributors – Randolf S. Vicente (SSD), Alberto B. Sta. Ana (CGSD), Nicandro P. Parayno (MD), Olivia R. Molina (RSRDAD), & Benjamin P. Balais (IMD) • Graphic Arts – Joseph C. Estrella & Sheilah Mae G. LopezPhotography – Nancy M. de Jesus, Renato E. Eguia, Rolando A. Mendoza, Erlito P. Saberola, & Arsenio B. Berriber • Editorial Assistants – Julieta C. Palustre, Donnabel R. Reyes, & Rina Grace S. Gatacelo

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

Office: Lawton Avenue, Fort Andres Bonifacio, Taguig City • Tel. Nos.: (02) 810-2890; 810-4831 to 36, local 430 Telefax: (02) 810-5466 or 810-5468 • E-mail Address: [email protected]

Editors’ Note: Due to space con-straints, we cannot publish thereferences consulted for the ar-ticles for this issue. Interested in-dividuals may avail themselves ofthe lists from the authors.

Contents

Cover and spread design: Nancy M. deJesus, Sheilah Mae G. Lopez, andRenato E. Eguia

FeaturesRevisiting the DORIS..........3NSDI and NCSD...............4Tide Stations.......................7Upgrading andOptimizing ........................12The Significance ofForest Cover.....................19

NewsPhoto news.......................16PRS92 task group.............16EPS..................................17NAMRIA-JICA...............17Updates on the StandardSeamless...........................18

Photo Spread...................10

inf mapper 3

Revisiting the DORIS Beacon in NAMRIAby Ramon R. Villanueva1

1Engineer IV, Instrumentation and Communication Engineering Division (ICED), Engineering Services Department2The date modulo 10 seconds refers to the date and time transmitted by the beacon which represent the number of elapsed 10-second sequences.

In April 1991, France brought into the Philippinesthe beacon, Doppler Orbitography andRadiopositioning Integrated by Satellite

(Détermination d’Orbite et RadiopositionnementIntégrés par Satellite) or DORIS. DORIS wasinstalled at NAMRIA which was chosen as oneof the ground stations of the SSALTO. SSALTO(Segment Sol multimissions d’Altimétrie,d’Orbitographie et de Localisation précise) isthe multimissions orbitography and altimetercenter based in Toulouse, France which providesground support systems for controlling DORIS.

The DORIS beacon installed on the rooftopof the NAMRIA Main Building continuouslytransmits parameters to the SSALTO such asthe beacon’s address code, the date modulo10 seconds,2 a time signal, meteorological data,and some beacon control data. The SSALTOthen checks on the station’s operations,processes measurements, and calculates theorbit of the satellite carrying the DORIS instrument.These data are useful to scientists studying theearth’s shape and movement.

With the use of DORIS data, scientists areable to measure the motion of tectonic plates whichcause earthquakes. Precise measurements bythe DORIS beacon have made it possible totrack imperceptible horizontal displacement.Other DORIS applications include orbitdetermination, earth gravity field, earth rotation,positioning, onboard orbit determination, and timetagging.

The level of performance DORISaccomplished for the past 14 years has enabledit to meet the criteria for processing orbitdetermination which is essential for spaceoceanography altimeter mission. Its accuratepositioning capability has also been provenvaluable for geodesy and geophysics application.

Today, through close cooperation withinternational partners, the DORIS system hasbuilt up a global network of 60 stations. Since itsearly mission in 1991, it has acquired over 50million measurements for the internationalscientific community.

The DORIS system is constantly improvingwith more accurate orbit determination, morereliable and more compact components, andfeatures being developed. Other upgrades areunder study to further improve its performanceand increase receiving capacity to meet theneeds of new applications.

Doris beacon instrumentwith other accessories

Fully installed meteorological station

The meteorological station being installedby ICED maintenance staff

In the years ahead, demands on theperformance of the DORIS system will increase.The DORIS instrument guarantees users a highquality service in providing long-term precise orbitdetermination. There will be a great boost formany fields of Earth Science with its enhancedperformance.

inf mapper4

NSDI and NCSD: Back to Backcompiled by John SF Fabic1

NAMRIA has initiated the establishment oftwo major projects that can dramaticallychange the landscape of mapping in the

country. These are the National Spatial DataInfrastructure (NSDI) and the National CommonSpatial Database (NCSD). Together if realized,they will form the backbone of geographicinformation system (GIS) in the Philippines. Backto back or side by side, both projects will supportthematic mapping activities of all sectors of societyand will contribute immensely to the growth of thelocal mapping industry. While the NCSDenvisions providing the base data, the NSDIbasically recommends an infrastructure for thedistribution and sharing of such data acrossvarious users.

The NSDIThe NSDI is a network of digital databases

that are located throughout a country, whichcollectively, will provide the fundamental dataneeded to achieve the country’s social,economic, human resources, and environmentaldevelopment objectives. It is a national initiativethat will offer better access to essential andconsistent geographic information produced andmaintained by different agencies or custodiansacross the country.

The formulation of a framework plan for theNSDI was made possible under the auspices ofWorld Bank which provided assistance to theproject entitled “The Establishment of a

Technical, Operational, and Legal Frameworkfor the Management of Geographic Informationin the Philippines.” The Inter-Agency TaskForce on Geographic Information, chaired byNAMRIA, carried out this project. The NSDIcomprises four components, namely:Institutional Framework, Technical Standards,Fundamental Datasets, and Access Networks.The component Fundamental Datasets will beaddressed by the NCSD.

Rationale for the Establishmentof the NSDI

The NSDI is intended to address thefollowing concerns: (a) Increasing demand forgeographic information by various users; (b)Increasing use of geographic/spatial informationtechnologies [GIS, Global Positioning System(GPS) and Remote Sensing (RS)]; (c)Increasing activities for the acquisition andgeneration of geographic information on a projector isolated basis; (d) Duplicative efforts in databuildup for the same geographic area,uncoordinated efforts resulting in duplication orexpensive data acquisition; (e) Lack of technicalstandards in the acquisition, sharing/exchange,management of geographic information,hampering effective use of geographicinformation; (f) Lack of policies on access,sharing/exchange, custodianship/ownership,creation, maintenance, and distribution ofgeographic information; (g) Inadequate institutional

framework for the coordination of efforts for theestablishment the NSDI; (h) Inadequate programfor building and maintaining the fundamentalframework datasets; (i) Inadequate appreciationof geographic information as a national resource;(j) Undervalued, underutilized geographicinformation resources available in governmentagencies; (k) New opportunities brought aboutby new developments in information andcommunication technologies (ICT); and (l) Globalefforts to build national, regional, and global spatialdata infrastructures.

Objectives of the NSDIThe objectives of the NSDI Framework Plan

are: (a) To ensure that users of geographicinformation will be able to acquire consistentdatasets to meet their requirements, even thoughthe data are collected and maintained by differentorganizations; (b) To maximize government’sreturn on investments in data collection andmaintenance of the national fundamental datasets;(c) To reduce waste from unnecessaryduplication of efforts in data creation and updating,and from use of inconsistent or poor quality datain planning and operations of programs andprojects; (d) To help improve planning anddecision making in government and businessesthat are impacted by the location of people, places,things, and events; (e) To promote value-addedactivities, products, and services from thefundamental datasets; and (f) To promote private

1Director I, Information Management Department (IMD)*Author’s note: Graphic rendition by Romel J. Francisco, Computer Programmer III, Systems Development and Programming Division, IMD

inf mapper 5

industry development and facilitate activeparticipation in geographic information acquisition,development, and provisioning to local and globalmarkets.

Components of the NSDI The NSDI has the following components:

1. The establishment of the InstitutionalFramework, which defines the policy andadministrative arrangements for building,maintaining, accessing, and applying thestandards and datasets, shall include the followingactivities: (a) Issuance of Executive Ordercreating the National Geographic InformationCouncil (NGIC) as the highest policy andcoordinating body for geographic information inthe country and overseer of the establishment ofthe NSDI; (b) Formulation of the implementingrules and regulations to carry out the mandatesand functions of the NGIC with NAMRIA as theNGIC Secretariat; (c) Creation and operation ofTechnical Working Groups and Committees tohelp the NGIC carry out its mandates; (d)Development of policies on data sharing,dissemination, pricing, custodianship, acquisition,maintenance, among others; (e) Developmentof advocacy and public awareness program; (f)Development of education and training program;and (g) Development of projects.

2. Formulation and adoption of TechnicalStandards and Protocols, which define thetechnical characteristics of the fundamentaldatasets and enable them to be integrated withother environmental, social, and economicdatasets, shall include the following sub-components: (a) Metadatabases, (b) Datastandards, (c) Data quality, (d) Primary referencesystem, and (e) Data exchange/sharing protocol.

3. Building of the Fundamental Datasets,which are produced within the institutionalframework and fully comply with the technicalstandards, shall include the following activities:(a) Feasibility studies and planning, and (b)Projects to build the fundamental datasetscontained in the NSDI.

4. Establishment of a National GeographicInformation Clearinghouse Network (NGICN),which is the means by which the fundamentaldatasets are made accessible to the communityin accordance with policy determined within theinstitutional framework, and to the technicalstandards agreed, shall include the following sub-components: (a) NGIC as the hub/portal of theclearinghouse network; (b) Sector hubs linkedto the NGIC portal for primary reference, base

from the operation of electricity, gas, and waterutilities to projects involving agriculture, mining,and environmental management.

The Price Waterhouse Benefit Studyconducted for the ANZLIC also showed that theexisting infrastructure for supplying geographicinformation has provided information to users ata cost far lower than alternative methods. If theexisting infrastructure had not been in place andusers had been forced to meet their datarequirements from other sources, their costswould have been approximately six times higher.In that five-year study alone, establishinginfrastructure has saved users in Australia andNew Zealand over $5 billion.

In the Philippines, the same benefits wouldbe realized with the establishment of an NSDI.The national government would have saved halfof the current expenditures for the acquisition anduse of geographic information were it not for thefollowing major issues: (a) Lack of digitalbasemap to serve as reference for dataintegration and sharing; (b) Lack of technicalstandards for data integration and exchange; (c)Duplication of efforts and resources; (d) Data gap;and (e) Absence of lead agencies to serve somedata requirements of users.

The NCSDThe NCSD is essentially the digitization of

NAMRIA’s topographic maps. It is a project thatwould stage the transformation of the currenttopographic maps into a new, sophisticated, andGIS-ready database. This geospatial database,together with attribute data, will be used by all thegovernment departments and agencies, as wellas the public as a common reference for all theirthematic maps and applications. Theeffectiveness of the NCSD is enhanced when it is

...continued on next page

map, natural environment, builtenvironment, administrative andsocioeconomic data; (c) Serversin data custodians; and (d) Datadirectory systems/catalogservices.

Institutional ArrangementThe NGIC, through NAMRIA,

shall operate and maintain theNGICN. The components of theNGICN include (a) Clearinghouseinformation communities such asagriculture, environment and naturalresources sector; infrastructure andutilities sector; lands and surveys sector; andsocio-economics sector; (b) Clearinghousedistributed and centralized databases; (c)Clearinghouse applications; (c) Clearinghousecommunications networks; (d) Clearinghousedata models; and (e) Clearinghousemetadatabases. For this project, the scope willinclude only the setup of the clearinghousenetwork and the customization of metadatabasesadapting to international standards.

The Nodes of the NGICN shall be thedesignated custodians of fundamental datasets,although these custodians may designate anotherdata custodian or NAMRIA to host their site. It willbe necessary for the Nodes to establish theappropriate structure and staffing to support theirfunctions as data custodians of a fundamentaldataset and providers of metadata concerningthe fundamental datasets under theircustodianship in the national directory system.The NGIC will support efforts of the Nodes todevelop their own individual capability andcapacity as data clearinghouses.

Economic AnalysisThe country can benefit from better

management of its geographic information bytaking a perspective that starts from the nationallevel and works down to the local level. ThePrice Waterhouse Benefit Study done for theAustralian and New Zealand Land InformationCouncil (ANZLIC) revealed a cost-benefit ratio ofapproximately 1:4 for data usage over a five-year study. This shows that for every dollarinvested in Australia and New Zealand forproducing geographic information, $4 of benefitwas generated within the economy. For the period1989-1994, these benefits were in the order of$4.5 billion. Benefits were distributed across thebroad spectrum of economic activities ranging

inf mapper6

based on a network system that provides easyaccess to various users. The NSDI and theNCSD complement each other in this regard.

Rationale for the Establishmentof the NCSD

The NCSD is consistent with thedevelopment objectives of the GovernmentInformation System Plan (GISP), a blueprint forthe government’s ICT-based planning anddevelopment, which was prepared by the NationalEconomic Development Authority. The GISPaims to harness the full potentials of ICT to ensurewider public access to government informationand the efficient delivery of the governmentservices to the public within the first decade of the21st century. In the GISP, the importance of anational common spatial database focusing onGIS has been noted. It is mainly because GIShas proven to be invaluable for the government’sdecision making on various developmentactivities, including conservation of naturalresources, protection of environment, land usemanagement, agricultural production, urbandevelopment, disaster response and mitigation,communications, defense and security, andtransport among others.

More than 80 percent of planning, decisionmaking, and operations in the government arerelated to or affected by location thereby makinggeographic information very essential to effectiveand efficient governance. At present, mostgovernment departments are still at thedevelopment stage in the utilization of GIStechnology. One of the major reasons for this isthat they have limited digital topographic mapsavailable for utilization as the base layer.

The topographic maps that are commonlyused now were produced by NAMRIA at variousscales. The predominant scale is 1:50,000 whichcovers the entire Philippines and the next popularscale is 1:10,000 which covers some limitedurban areas. However, it has been repeatedlypointed out that the current topographic maps at ascale of 1:50,000 are old and outdated. Forinstance, under the National Topographic MapSeries, NAMRIA updated these maps in 1988but only in few areas of Luzon, Visayas, andPalawan province. Most areas of Luzon are stillbased on the 701 series or aerial photographstaken between 1976 and 1979, while practicallythe whole of Mindanao and big portions ofVisayas and Palawan are based on the 711series or aerial photographs taken between 1947

Photogrammetric compilation, (f) Field editing anddata filing, (g) Data integrating, structuring, anddesigning, and (h) Address-matching tables. Thedatabase of 1:10,000 accuracy level will primarilyconsist of the following coverages: roads andrailways, river system (rivers, coastal lines, andlakes), contours, buildings, land classification,annotation, and administrative boundaries.

From its inception, it was already knownthat the entire project will cost the government ahuge amount of money. Hence, in theimplementation of the NCSD, priority may begiven to the 1:50,000 accuracy level dependingon the availability of budget or funding strategy tobe undertaken. In this regard, funding assistancefrom foreign donors would possibly be soughtout.

Establishment of the NAMRIA GIS DataCenter (NGDC) and its Off-site BackupFacility

One of the major components of the Projectis to establish the NGDC to house the NCSD.The NGDC will also house the major facilities,both hardware and software for analysis anddissemination of the database. A Backup Systemwill be established at the Department ofEnvironment and Natural Resources (DENR)for security reasons. The main feature of theNGDC is to upgrade the current equipment ofNAMRIA, both hardware and software, to meetthe technical requirements of the project.

The development of the NSDI and theNCSD is now being carried out in manycountries. For economies that have alreadyestablished these GIS backbones, their usersas well as producers of the datasets are nowreaping the benefits.

and 1953. Although NAMRIA is currentlydigitizing the topographic maps on the basis ofindividual projects, this is occurring to a verylimited degree in the country. Also there are othergovernment departments digitizing thetopographic maps for their respectiveapplications, thus, duplication cannot be avoided.

Objective of the NCSDThe objective of the project is to establish a

national common spatial database comprisingan updated and digitized set of base data ortopographic maps at accuracy levels of 1:50,000and 1:10,000.

Establishment of the NCSD at 1:50,000Accuracy Level

This phase, covering the whole country orabout 300,000 sq. km. of land area, will consist ofthe following major activities: (a) Acquisition ofsatellite image, (b) Production of digital terrainmodel (50m grid), (c) Production of digitalorthoimage (1:50,000), (d) Digitization and editingof data, (e) Integration and structuring of data forGIS, and (f) Cartographic enhancement oftopographic database (1:50,000). The multileveltopographic database for 1:50,000 will primarilyconsist of the following coverages: contours, roadsand railways, hydrology (rivers, lakes, andcoastal lines), public buildings and structures,vegetation, administrative boundaries, andgeographic names.

Establishment of the NCSD at 1:10,000Accuracy Level

A larger scale of map is required for thecountry’s progressive development, especiallyin urban and other priority areas. Therefore, it isrecommended that a digital geospatial databaseof 1:10,000 accuracy levelshould be produced tocover the populatedcenters of about tenpercent of the entire landarea of the Philippines(approximately 30,000 sq.km.) from new aerialphotographs.

This phase willconsist of the followingmajor activities: (a) GPSaerial photography, (b)Aerial triangulation, (c)Terrain model (20m grid),(d) Digital orthophotoproduction, (e)

NSDI...from page 5

inf mapper 7

Tide Stations in the Philippinesby Rene G. Eclarino1

1Chief, Oceanography Division, Coast and Geodetic Survey Department

NAMRIA’s mandate with regard tooceanographic surveying primarilyfocuses on the physical aspects of

oceanography that dwell mainly on oceanparameters such as tides, current, temperature,salinity, and depth. Data collection is howevernot limited to the physical characteristics, butlikewise explores other marine-related data inthe course of a combined hydrographic andoceanographic surveying operation. The officehas a long history in tidal observation.

Primary tide stations, where continuous tidalobservation in the country are conducted, aremostly located in strategic coastal areas. Theseareas are scattered in the different seaports ofindustrial and economic convergence such asManila, San Fernando, and Legaspi in Luzon;Cebu in the Visayas; Davao and Surigao inMindanao. To date there are 10 primary tidestations in the Philippines with existing tide housestructure and tide gauge equipment. Mean valuesof datum planes are derived from the operation ofthese primary tide stations. Such values includemean sea level (MSL) and mean lower low water(MLLW) which serve as the respective basesfor ground elevation, bathymetry, and nauticalcharting purposes. They likewise serve asreferences for analyzing data from secondaryand subordinate locations where short-period tidalobservation exists.

History of the Establishment of Tidal Stationsin the Philippines

The work of conducting tidal observation inthe Philippines is now over a century old. It beganshortly with the establishment of a sub-office thenknown as the Manila Field Station of the UnitedStates Coast and Geodetic Survey (USC&GS)in 1901, which was then located at the Intendenciabuilding of the Walled City of Intramuros.

In 1902, the first primary tide station wasestablished in Manila with the first observationrecords mainly kept in the archives of thenUSC&GS. Tidal observation continued to beconducted across the country with theestablishment of a tide gauge in Iloilo, Panay in1903. The Cebu primary tide station was set upin 1935.

By 1950, the office then called the Bureau ofCoast and Geodetic Survey (BCGS), which wascreated to replace the Manila Field Station underAct No. 222, was already under Filipino operation.This came about after the turnover of the totalsupervision by USC&GS to the Philippinegovernment. In 1952, the Bureau acquired a tide-predicting machine (Figure 1) from Liverpool,England, which could take into account 32 tidalcomponents. Six tidal stations were beingmaintained and these were located in Manila,Cebu, Davao, Legaspi, San Fernando in LaUnion, and Jolo. The first Tide and Current Tableswas published in 1953 under Filipino leadership.Prior to this, preparation and printing were beingdone in Washington D.C., USA.

existence, three of which became primarystations in the same year, namely, Surigao, SanJose in Mindoro, and Port Irene in Cagayan. In1994, the Puerto Princesa tide station became aprimary tide station. The year 1996 saw thedismantling of the Jolo tide gauge due to securitymatters and equipment malfunction. It wasrelocated to Zamboanga in 2002. In 2001, thetide station in Real, Quezon became a primarytide station.

To date, the processes of tidal analysis andprediction have come a long way with the use ofmodern PCs and software programs such asthose being used in Australia, Japan, and theUS. The Philippine tide station has remained thesame in terms of setup, structure, andinstrumentation. It still yields good data results.

In addition, the collaboration and exchangeof oceanographic data with both local and foreignentities continue to be given high regard by thepresent Coast and Geodetic Survey Department(CGSD) of NAMRIA. In the advent of the presenttechnologies, it will no longer be farfetched thatNAMRIA’s oceanographic data will soon bemade available to the Internet community in thepresent millennium.

TidesThe tidal stations maintained by the

NAMRIA CGSD are primarily aimed atmeasuring tides. Tides, which refer to theperiodic rise and fall of the sea-surface level, varymainly in accordance with the changes in positionof the moon and sun relative to the earth. Verticalwater-level measurements are made usingspecial equipment known as tide gauges. Tidalrecords for analog tide gauges are registered assimple sine curves in hard copy medium knownas marigram. Tide monitoring is carried out inlong periods of observation to determine the MSLand the MLLW which serve as the bases forland- and water-datum level respectively. A periodof 19 years is generally considered as constitutinga full cycle of tide during which the more importantvariations in tides would have undergone acomplete cycle ( Marmer, 1927) and hence, thedatum level would be more precise.

In 1969, computer-aided tidal predictionsreplaced the use of the 32-component predictingmachine (which still exists presently in the presentoffice) with that of an electronic computer, IBM360/30. By 1972, additional computers such asthe FACOM 230/20 were being used for allpredictions including manuscript preparation.

In 1986, with Phase I of the ASEAN-AustraliaMarine Project (Tides and Tidal Phenomena-Regional Ocean Dynamics), BCGS started touse the digital type of tide gauges with modelssuch as EMS 16 (cartridge type) and ENDECOpressure sensor type. The office also undertookthe establishment of more tide stations. Nearingthe completion of Phase II of the project in 1990,four additional tide stations were already in

Figure 1. Doodson-ledge tide predictingmachine from Liverpool, EnglandSource: Library, CGSD


inf mapper8

Tide PredictionContinuous actual tidal observations made

possible through the maintenance of the tidalstations are very important in the analysis for thecomputation of tide prediction. Predictions fromprimary tide stations are derived from 60harmonic constants using mathematical analysiscomputed and updated from long years ofobservation. Tide prediction at secondary stationsis derived from 36 harmonic constants calculatedfrom short-period observations. These are thencollated in the Tide and Current Tables which arepublished yearly by NAMRIA.

Tidal LevelingTide stations are annually inspected and

checked for proper equipment operation and dataaccuracy. During annual inspection, tidal levelingis conducted to determine water-level datum shiftwith regard to land elevations. Tidal leveling, whichis the process of taking vertical measurementsof ground points known as tidal benchmarks, isthen carried out to connect the benchmarks to awater-level datum plane. These measurementsare then connected to the zero datum of the tidegauge referred to a mean water-level referenceto define the elevations of points on the ground.

Through these measurements, shifts inwater-level datum or ground-level change canbe determined which could be analyzed as eithersea-level rise or ground subsidence. The presentdatum in each of the tide stations is referred to afixed zero level of a tide staff or simply called tidepole, which was initially determined when thestation was first established. These are onlyarbitrary levels which vary in each of the tidestations depending on how the tide staff was setup. The following lists the original years ofestablishment of the zero-level tide staff indetermining the datum plane of references:Manila-1901; Cebu-1935; Davao, Legaspi, Jolo,San Fernando-1947; Surigao, Port Irene, SanJose-1986; Palawan-1990; and Real-1995.

Levels of the current tide staff/pole in each ofthe tide stations may differ during annual inspectionand re-leveling from the original setup but thediscrepancy is always corrected to refer back tothe original zero level. These corrections arenecessary to maintain the fixed reference levelfor the analysis of the observed tidal data forquality control and more importantly in monitoringthe datum plane for control references.

Importance of Tide StationsThe establishment and maintenance of tidal

stations serve various purposes both forgovernment and non-government institutions,educational and research facilities, local coastalresidents, as well as the general public. Benefitsprovided include the following: (1) actual tidalinformation for various activities (i.e., research,planning, navigation, charting, and coastalinfrastructure design); (2) data on dailyoccurrences of either high or low tide for coastalactivities; (3) basis in determining datum planesfor ground elevation and charting references; (4)data inputs for tide prediction; (5) additionalinformation on flooding scenarios; (6) inputs forweather forecasting; and (7) data inputs for stormsurges and tsunami studies.

Related Issues on Sea-Level ScenariosAside from monitoring high and low tides,

tidal observation can very well be a source ofinputs to other activities such as land subsidencemonitoring, and coastal erosion and tsunamistudies. Ground movement as in land subsidencecan be manifested as a sea-level rise throughanalysis of long tidal observations. Tide gaugeconnected to a telemetry system for real-timetide monitoring is very important instrumentationfor tsunami analysis.

Among the 10 primary tide stations in thePhilippines, only the Legaspi Tide Station isequipped with telemetry capability, which monitorstidal measurement in real-time mode. Incollaboration with the Pacific Tsunami WarningCenter (PTWC), based in Hawaii, the telemetrysystem was installed sometime in 1993 at thestation. A special coupling device was attachedto the tide gauge of NAMRIA to translate the tidalmeasurement to the telemetry system, whichthen transmits the data to PTWC. Locally,personnel from the Philippine Institute ofVolcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS)closely collaborate with the tide observer ofNAMRIA for tidal observation and monitor theoperation of the telemetry. PTWC personnelsupervise the maintenance of the telemetryinstrumentation setup.

A number of Philippine tide stations areregistered in the network of tide stations under theGlobal Ocean Sea Level System for worldwidetidal scientific studies. Being a member of theInternational Oceanographic Commission, thePhilippines sends yearly tidal data to this programas part of the country’s commitment to variousoceanographic surveying activities.

Tide Station CharacteristicsThere are 10 primary tide stations

established and maintained in the different coastalareas of the country. Each consists of a simpletide house structure of concrete and woodenmaterials measuring about 1.5 meters square infloor area and about 2.5 meters in height. Thistype usually houses the analog type of tide gaugedue to the numerous mechanisms and setupfeatures of the equipment. Some digital-type tidegauges such as the Aanderaa pressure sensortype are housed in just small boxes attached toexisting pier structures. Other digital-type tidegauges such as the wave and tide gauge (WTG)models are just fastened to pier piles below thesurface of the water and do not require casings.Three tide stations to date are equipped with digitaltide gauges, six stations with analog-type tidegauges, and one station with both digital- andanalog-type tide gauges (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Types of tide gauge models cur-rently in use in the different primary tidestations

A.O.T.T. float type Marigram recorder

WTG-904 series 3, wave and tide recorder,InterOcean

Digital-type tide gauge

Analog-type tide gauges

Leupold Stevens chart recording modelcoupled to a digital converter EMS 16 car-tridge recorder

Tide...from page 7

inf mapper 9

List of the various features of the country’s existing primary tide stations Tide observers who are hired in the localarea for advantageous reasons overseemaintenance, operation, housekeeping, securityof the station, as well as monitoring of dataacquisition. They are also responsible for sendingthe data to the main office on a monthly basis.

Future Locations of Additional Tide StationsThe Philippines being an archipelago, the

present number of tide stations in the country arenot sufficient to provide adequate tidal informationfor its entire coastline. The densification of ourtide station network is therefore greatly required,considering the varied tidal behavior of our watersthat should be fully understood.

The need for the densification of thePhilippine tide gauge network in the near futurewould suggest the establishment of additional tidestations in many coastal areas such as thefollowing which are initial priorities: EasternMindanao, Eastern Samar, Masbate coastNortheastern Luzon, Northwestern Luzon,Southwestern Negros, West coast of Zambales,Western Palawan, and Zamboanga. The abovelocations are deemed necessary since mostparts of the country lack tidal information,especially within the internal waters which arelargely used for navigation. The outer coastlinesare likewise very long and tidal characteristicsmay not be defined very well by the existing tidestations as they are spaced too far apart fromone another.

...continued on page 18

Tide Station Location –

Original Year Established

Present Type of Tide Gauge

Type of Tide – Mean Tide

Range

Highest Tide Observed –

Date Recorded

Lowest Tide Observed –

Date Recorded

(1) South Harbor, Manila –1947

Analog tide gauge (AOTT model) – operational

Mixed diurnal and semi-diurnal – 0.758 meter

4.0 meters above zero tide staff – 04 July 2000

1.16 meters above zero tide staff – 26 January 1952

(2) Poro Point, San Fernando, La Union – 1947

Digital tide gauge (WTG model) – non-operational (Operation was suspended due to instrumentation problems but its resumption this year is planned.)

Diurnal – 0.39 meter

2.37 meters above zero tide staff – 22 June 1985

0.66 meter –

14 December 1989

0.58 meter –

16 January 1949

(3) Old pier of Port Irene in Barangay Casambalangan in the town of Sta. Ana, Cagayan – 1987

Analog tide gauge (Leupold & Stevens model) – operational

Semi-diurnal – 0.918 meter

3.64 meters – 31 July 1996

1.28 meters – 22 December 1991

(4) Wharf in Barangay Ungos town of Real in Quezon – 1995

Digital tide gauge (WTG model) – operational

Semi-diurnal – 1.354 meters

3.33 meters – 09 February 2001

0.81 meter – 26 November 2003

(5) Pier in Barangay Caminawit in San Jose Occidental, Mindoro – 1986



2.86 meters – 31 July 1996

0.62 meter – 01 January 1991

(6) Pier I near the Cebu Port Authority building, Cebu City – 1935


Mixed diurnal and semi-diurnal with diurnal dominance – 1.023 meters

3.25 meters – 13 July 1987


(7) Surigao Port, Surigao City, Surigao del Norte – 1986


Mixed tide – 0.781 meter

3.46 meters – 23 & 24 July 1998

1.26 meters – 01 January 1991

(8) Sasa Wharf, Davao City – 1947

(Temporary) Portable digital tide gauge (WTG model) – operational


3.47 meters – 27 September 1988

0.40 meter – 13 December 1958

(9) Puerto Princesa Port in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan – 1990

(Temporary) Portable digital tide gauge (WTG model) – operational


3.09 meters – 24 November 1991


(10) Legaspi Pier in Legaspi City, Albay – 1947



2.92 meters – 26 September 1988


inf mapper12

Upgrading and Optimizing the Philippine Geodetic Infrastructure (PGI):Strategic Options toward Medium-Term Plan Formulation1

by Randolf S. Vicente2

Since the dawn of civilization, the processesof measuring and mapping one’s domainor jurisdiction have continuously persisted

up to the present. The management of naturaland economic resources has becomeincreasingly dependent on the availability ofprecise and consistent geographic information.The methods and techniques for measuring,processing, analyzing, presenting, anddisseminating resource data/information havechanged radically in recent years. The underlyingissues on ambiguous locations, distances, areas,and other related statistics, however, haveremained the same throughout.

Modern society turned out to beprogressively more dependent ongeographically-based datasets. These datasetsallow locations, distances, areas and other relatedstatistics to be reliably measured and calculated.A geodetic system, commonly known as the“standard spatial reference system,” providesthe foundation of any geographically-baseddataset. It involves a combination of factors suchas ellipsoid, geoid, datum, coordinate system,and projection that identify a point on a sphere ina two- or three-dimensional representation.

The Philippines is currently adopting thePhilippine Reference System of 1992 (PRS92)as the standard reference system for all surveysand mapping activities. This is pursuant toExecutive Order (EO) number 45, as amendedby EO numbers 280 and 321. PRS92 is anupgraded version of the old Philippine GeodeticNetwork (PGN) which was established by thenUSC&GS in 1901. The responsibility ofestablishing and maintaining the PGN wasassumed by NAMRIA CGSD (formerly BCGSof the Department of National Defense or DND) in1987 by virtue of EO number 192. The PGN,particularly the horizontal control network, servedas the reference or tie points for cadastral surveysby the then Bureau of Lands (now the LandsManagement Bureau or LMB of DENR, and

those projects administered by other governmentagencies such as the Department of Land Reform(formerly the Department of Agrarian Reform),the Department of Public Works and Highways,DND, among others.

The existing reference system ischaracterized by technical, operational, legal/policy, and institutional inadequacies. As theindustry becomes bigger and bigger, the presentsystem does not anymore cater to the needsand demands of the user community. Inresponse to this, a Strategic Plan, designed toupgrade and optimize the PGI, must be drawn toaddress such inadequacies as well as the currentand emerging issues. It shall cover all theelements of a geodetic infrastructure in addition tothe traditional definition and scope of a geodeticnetwork.

Current and Emerging IssuesSurveying, mapping, and the use of

geographic information are currently the areas ofintense activity. Numerous projects and researchefforts are being actively pursued nationwide aswell as worldwide to upgrade the existing geodeticnetworks, modernize field and office operations,reinvent institutional arrangements, poolorganizational resources, and satisfy user needs.Appropriate options vis-à-vis local situations,however, cannot be ascertained without knowingand understanding the real issues and driverstowards system improvement.

There is indeed a serious backlog in theimplementation of PRS92. This was revealed bythe results of the Stakeholders’ Conference onPRS92, held on 15 August 2003 at the New ArmyOfficers’ Clubhouse in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City;as well as the Focus Group Discussions onPRS92 which were organized by NAMRIA incollaboration with LMB, and held from 22February to 02 March 2004 in the cities of Baguio,Cebu, Davao, and Manila. More specifically,the issues and problems include: (a) Inadequate

funds (less priority); (b) Inadequate implementingstructure, mechanisms, and strategies; (c)Inadequate policies and guidelines; (d) Non-compliant implementing units; (e) Insufficientqualified manpower complement/inadequatetraining; (f) Doubtful set of transformationparameters; and (g) Implications of the adoptionof PRS92 on the existing land titling and registrationsystem.

The design and specification of a nationalgeodetic infrastructure should take intoconsideration the above-cited issues andproblems. Parallel to this, it is also important thatemerging issues and the drivers for improvementof the current system be defined in order to put inplace an efficient and ideal geodetic infrastructurethat caters to the needs of the government, theuser-community, and other major stakeholders.These emerging issues include the following: (a)Changing role and needs of the government; (b)Expanding user-community and their futurerequirements; (c) Role of the private sector,academe, accredited professional organizationsor groups, and other stakeholders; (d)Malpractices in geodetic surveying; (e) Humanresource incapacity; (f) Investment/costrecovery; (g) Datum shift (geodetic to geocentricand vice versa); (h) Migration to businesssystems automation; (i) Operation of the nationalspatial data infrastructure; (j) Accommodation oftechnology innovations (e.g., data portal and real-time positioning); (k) Maintenance of the networkof ground marks; and (l) Inefficiency in geodeticdata and information management.

The Future Ideal StateThe definition of vision and mission would

involve the statement of the future scenario, havingthe geodetic infrastructure play the role of anenabler in ensuring the availability of precise andconsistent geographic information. As such, thevision may be stated as, “an efficient andmodern national geodetic infrastructure

1The article was based on the draft Strategic Plan presented by the author on 06-08 June 2005 during the Land Management Sector Conferenceconducted by the Lands Management Bureau (LMB) in collaboration with the Land Administration and Management Program-Project ManagementOffice and the DENR-Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Secretariat. This was held at the Executive Plaza Hotel, along Mabini Street, Malate,Manila. According to the author, the article does not necessarily represent the views of NAMRIA or LMB.2Chief, Plans and Operations Division, NAMRIA; Ex-Officio, Geodetic Engineers of the Philippines (GEP), Inc.- National Capital Region andGovernor-Public Relations Officer, GEP (The author holds a Diploma in Land Use Planning and a Master of Science degree in Remote Sensing.)

inf mapper 13

which underpins and sustains national,regional, and local socioeconomicdevelopment and decision making.”

In order to attain this vision, the missionshould be, “to ensure the availability of anefficient and modern national geodeticinfrastructure that will allow accessibility toquality geodetic data and information whichwill facilitate consistent integration of allsurveys and maps.”

EO number 321 specifies, among others,a transition period for the adoption of PRS92 untilthe year 2010. With such a directive, a strategymust be planned in order to meet this deadline.This also means that the planning horizon shouldbe within a medium term (i.e., CY 2005-2010). Itis therefore imperative that a strategic goal bedefined to conform to the said time-bounded Order.With reference to the issues and driversmentioned earlier, the strategic goal can thereforebe declared as, “a modern and completegeodetic infrastructure that provides a three-dimensional position of points, ensuresefficient data and information management,increases understanding and ensures activeparticipation of major stakeholders based onan accepted geodetic reference and on legal,institutional, and intellectual frameworks.”

With the recognition and declaration ofPRS92 as one of the top priority programs underthe Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan(FY 2005-2010), it is possible to attain theaforementioned goal. Such a condition, however,would greatly depend on the manner by whichthe infrastructure is conceived, communicated,and implemented by all the major stakeholdersand beneficiaries and the amount/magnitude ofresources that will be mobilized. Everyoneshould likewise take note and understand that theOrder does not only call for the establishment ofcontrol points, but also the integration of all technicalsurveys and maps as well.

The PGI: Nature and Desired OutcomesThe Strategic Plan is expected to cover the

development of the national geodeticinfrastructure. The Plan should not only includethe geodetic network per se but it must subsumethe other related elements as enumerated herein.The implementation of PRS92 will no longer focusmerely on the densification of geodetic controlpoints and integration of surveys and maps butalso on its appurtenant elements geared towardsan improved geodetic service delivery to thepublic.

The PGI should comprise the six keyelements briefly described below.

(a) Geodetic Network – Being thefundamental basis of the infrastructure, it mustinclude the strengthening of the existing horizontalcontrol network, the revitalization of the verticaland gravity networks, and the establishment ofnew and upgrading of selected primary tidestations.

(b) Reference Framework – Theframework comprises the definition of the sizeand shape of the earth, geodetic datum andvertical datum, map projections, transformationsbetween datums and projections, and the geoidmodel.

(c) Data and Associated Information – Thiselement includes the field survey data/records,results of computations/adjustments, andinformation service delivery systems.

(d) Intellectual – This comprises thenetwork design, methods and procedures on howto migrate from the existing geodetic system tothe internationally recognized reference frame/system, and the knowledge base of professionalsand users.

(e) Legal – This encompasses thelegislative measures as the bases for the adoptionof the infrastructure and relevant regulations,guidelines, standards, and technicalspecifications.

(f) Institutional – This involves the role andresponsibilities of stakeholders, appropriatestructure, functional and job analyses, capacitybuilding, creation of prototypes, action planning,and other related organizational arrangementsrequired to deliver the infrastructure.

The present definition of the PGN and theimplementation of PRS92 do not include someaspects of item “c” and disregarded items from“d” to “f.”

The PGI is envisioned to play a major roleas the new utility for precise positioning on a real-time basis. It will facilitate easy and simpleintegration of previously disparate datasets andis expected to be an inherent part of a globaldatum and spatial infrastructure that willaccommodate the effects of regional crustaldeformation (geodynamics), as well as themeasurement and monitoring of global changesin climate/temperature and sea levels.

Under the PGI, all positioning activities willbe integrated into a common national datum.Geoid models will be developed to eliminate theartificial split of horizontal coordinates andelevations. A common vertical datum will be

defined to meet the most precise vertical referencerequirements of users. There will also be a higheremphasis on the maintenance of the first- andsecond-order base stations of the geodeticnetwork, which is the fundamental element of theinfrastructure.

High-quality receivers now have thecapability to collect and integrate data from GPS,with the augmentation of the Galileo and GlobalNavigation Satellite System. Thus the majorsatellite-based positioning systems under thePGI will be these systems. Common user real-time kinematic broadcast systems, enabled byactive geodetic stations, will be installed in selectedpriority strategic sites. Integration shall be madeinvolving new and emerging satellite-basedpositioning units, such as GPS cell phones,watches, electronic maps, vehicle navigation fleetmanagement, alarm systems, and other unitsused in monitoring animal and humanmovements.

Once the PGI is put in place, the role of thegovernment will be to focus more on themanagement of and coordination through thegeodetic reference infrastructure. Humanresources will be developed at the highest levelof knowledge and skill to achieve wide recognition.The user-community is foreseen to becomemuch broader as it will involve the government,private, academic/research, and professionalorganizations/groups as contributors to theinfrastructure. Their common objective must beto work in a coordinative interaction to optimizethe benefits from individual actions. This is donethrough the creation of and compliance tointernational and national policies, standards,operating procedures, and strategic plans. Thegovernment sector shall be working with usersto ensure that their business and serviceobjectives are facilitated through timely deliveryof any changes/modifications, upgrades, andrefinements to the geodetic infrastructure.

Strategic OptionsWith a time frame of five years, the Strategic

Plan shall be designed based on the six elementsof the PGI. In order to define the medium-termobjectives in a programmatic form, the PGI canbe divided into five major components, such as:(a) Physical and Survey; (b) Data andInformation Management; (c) Prototype; (d)Information, Education and Communication (IEC); and (e) Infrastructure Management. The detailsabout these components are shown in Table 1.


inf mapper14

COMPONENT ACTIVITIES OBJECTIVES OUTCOMES 1. Physical and

Survey

• Installation of physical markers and facilities

• Measurement/ observation and recording • Maintenance of

physical markers and facilities

To establish a modern and complete geodetic network and keep quality records of all measurements/ observations

A modern geodetic network and complete quality measurement/ observation records

2. Data and Information Management

• Data adjustment and analysis

• Development and operation of Geodetic Network Information Systems (GNISs)

• Improvement of data/information archival system as well as accessibility and dissemination mechanisms

To develop and institutionalize an efficient system for geodetic data and information management

An efficient system for data and information management

3. Prototype

• Execution of connection surveys

• Derivation of local transformation and projection parameters, geoid, ellipsoid/spheroid

• Integration of data and maps

• Establishment of active geodetic stations

• Development of On-line Positioning User Services (OPUS)

To test the efficiency of the prototype infrastructure with due regard to all elements

Sensible programs and policy recommendations

4. Information, Education, and Communication

• Information campaign

• Education and training

• Communication drive

To increase the awareness and achieve better understanding of all stakeholders about the role/value of and benefits from the infrastructure, and to professionalize the practice of geodetic surveying

Increase in awareness and better understanding of the infrastructure and an institutionalized Code of Ethics for all recognized practitioners

5. Infrastructure Management

• Planning and coordination

• Monitoring and evaluation

• Policy and standards development

• Research and development

To ensure that activities are carried out efficiently and that component objectives and outcomes are achieved promptly

Infrastructure efficiently administered/ sustained and a well-developed Transition Plan

The component activities shown in the table aredesigned to address the issues mentioned earlier,consistent with the elements of the PGI.3

The implementation of the Strategic Plan willinvolve all major stakeholders from thegovernment, private and academic/researchsectors, and professional organizations/groups.The government agency with the primaryresponsibility is DENR. Two units of thedepartment which play the major roles in geodeticsurvey works are NAMRIA and LMB, includingthe Lands Management Services (LMS) of theregional offices of DENR. The Field NetworkSurvey Parties of the various regional officesunder LMS will play a critical role in theimplementation of the first and secondcomponents.

The private sector will be involved in theinstallation of physical markers and other facilities,as well as in field observations/measurementsand adjustments. Selected players from theacademic sector will be involved in the design ofthe reference framework and in the various,myriad, and significant research requirementsfor the infrastructure. The design of the mostappropriate geodetic network shall also includethe participation of the Mines and GeosciencesBureau (MGB) of DENR and PHIVOLCS underthe Department of Science and Technology.

The local government units, down to thebarangay level, should be actively involved. Theymay assume responsibility in the establishmentand maintenance of the physical markers andfacilities, and more importantly, in providingcounterpart funds. Professional organizationsor groups will take part in advocacy or IECcampaigns, technical and ethical standards, andquality assurance requirements for an efficientinfrastructure.

Appropriate operational, administrative, andfinancial arrangements and incentives betweenand among the stakeholders shall be made andadopted to ensure that the required legalframework will be institutionalized to back up theattainment of the medium-term goal andobjectives.

The most important stakeholders in thisundertaking will be the Donors. With the limitedfinancial resources of the government,outsourcing of funds and technical assistance

becomes the necessary option. It is thereforeimperative for the agency with primaryresponsibility to facilitate the outsourcing of fundsfrom donor countries/agencies having interest inthis area. Financial augmentation should likewisebe made within DENR, i.e., NAMRIA, LMB/LMS, Forest Management Bureau (FMB)/Services, MGB, Parks and Wildlife Bureau,Coastal and Marine Management Office,Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program-

Secretariat, and other government-owned and -controlled agencies or corporations involved inpositioning, surveying, mapping, and use ofgeographic information. Augmentation may alsocome in the form of collaboration with local andinternational research institutions and/or bodiesimplementing a worldwide geodetic campaign.

The development of the infrastructure will beimplemented through the adoption of commonprioritization approaches such as: (a) all at once,

Table 1. Particulars on the Five Major Components of PGI

3The timeframe, milestones, sub-activities, outputs, targets, budgetary requirements, as well as cost-benefit analysis were not included in this article dueto space constraints.

Upgrading...from page 13

inf mapper 15

RISK FAC TOR DESC RIPTION M AN A GEM ENT INT ER VENTION 1 . A dequacy of

Fun ding • Significant risks to funding the

development of the in frastructure include the changes in government policy and departmental priorities

• As a core service, document the benefits and deliver a dv ice to the government to define the role/valu e of and benefits from the geodetic infrastructure

• Outsourcing a nd getting counterpart funds

2 . A dequacy of Human R esources

• Inadequacy of sk illed sta ff to assess technologies and trends, develop new processes, a s well a s mana ge the in fra structure contributes to the failu re o f the in frastru cture

• Formulate a hu man resources development policy a nd program that recognizes the sk ills required to mana ge the in frastru cture

• Outsourcing fu nds for human resource development wherever appropriate.

• Pool existing local experts as consultants

3 . Failure of Private Service Providers

• Failure to fulfi ll contracts o f the private sector w ho will be invo lved in the implementation of the Plan; also their low productivity a nd failure to retain technical competency and to meet standards

• There should be accreditation of providers to ensure their fina ncial viability a nd technical com petency to carry ou t the work

• Require providers to carry out professional a nd pu blic-liability insurance

• Develop performance monitoring and operate a contra ct ma nagem ent system

4 . Organizat ional Failure

• The lea d agency is expected to successfu lly ma nage the in frastru cture through technical development and design, standard sett ing, purchasing of data or service providers, a nd quality control. Failu re in these areas will create risks in terms of level, quality, a nd appropriateness o f the infra structure that w ill be developed.

• Develop aud it sta ndards a nd policies to ensure appropriate r equ irements

• Init iate independent reviews of the infrastructure to ensure that user requirements are met

• Develop the structure, processes, and sk ills to ensure requ ired capacity of the lea d agency and other collaborating players

5. Technological Failure

• Computer technology a nd satellite-ba sed position ing make up the sign ificant dr ivers for the development of the new infrastru cture. R isks may come in the form of the failure o f the satellite-ba sed position ing system, replacement of the existing technolog ies by new ones that cannot be accom modated in the system, and technical malfunctions in data mana gement.

• Develop a system that is technology-independent

• Keep abreast of new technologies a nd implem ent policies and standard operating procedures to ensure their accommodation in the current system

• Search, study, and implement/a dopt alternative technolog ical augmentation strategies

6 . Legal/Policy Failure

• The development of the in frastru cture requ ires legislation and policy directives for adoption of the upgraded reference framework . W ithout the law and the necessary po licy issuances, the PGI will not gain nationwide recognition by all sectors affected .

• Ensure that the requ ired leg islation is passed a nd policy directives are adequately provided

• Specific guidelines should be issued to ma nage the impa ct of the new reference fra mew ork on the existing titling and registration system

7 . U sers’ Knowle dge, R esponsive-ness, and Acceptability

• The development of the in frastru cture is based on the assumption that the user commu nity will adopt it. The risk may include the non-u tilization of the new and u pgra ded system and the continuance of the use a nd maintenance of the old incompatible framework, technology, and lega cy systems.

• Create and so licit greater user inputs to ensure that appropriate infrastructure is developed to meet their needs.

• Educate users to ensure that they understa nd the role/valu e of and benefits from the new infrastructure.

8 . Availability an d R eliability of Baseline D ata for N etwor k D esign

• The design of the most appropriate horizontal and vertical contro l networks w ill depend on the availabili ty and relia bil ity of baseline data. Failure to recover old geodetic control points will ha ve a negative impact on the design of the new geodetic netw ork.

• Incorporate in the progra m a massive monum ent r ecovery campaign involving old geodetic contro l points

• Thorough a ssessment o f relia bil ity/quality of recovered points

• Involve the survey and mapping practitioners, especially those who are engaged in geodetic surveying

9 . A ppropriate Organizat ional

Str ucture

• The implementation of the p roject as w ell a s the mana gement of the new infra structure require a sound orga nizational set up. Without the proper stru cture, the goal and objectives may not be ach ieved .

• Design and organize a core group composed of competent mana gers and technical sta ff (from the central, regional, and field units) to manage the in fra stru cture

• The structure should fa cil itate smooth vertical and horizontal coordination among all units including other major players and users

10. Sustainability o f the PGI

• The development of the new infrastru cture is not a n end by itself but a continuing process o f delivery of services a nd maintenance of the system. Without via ble strategies on in frastru cture sustainability, al l efforts w ill become futile.

• Develop a policy strategy to ensure sustainability of the PG I

• A well-conceived T ransition Pla n should be w ell-documented at the earliest oppor tunity and made a part of the public advoca cy or IEC campaign.

(b) phased by geographic region, (c) phased byprogram, and (d) on demand. The decision andmanagement approach as to the mostappropriate option to be adopted shall be clearlydefined and discussed in detail under theImplementation Plan. Nonetheless, the executionof the most appropriate scheme shall dependgreatly on the capacities of the governmentagencies concerned, the needs of the wider usercommunity, and the anticipated risks.

Risk Factors and Management InterventionsThe purpose of presenting this section is to

identify the major risks associated with theimplementation of the Strategic Plan. Risk factorsand the corresponding managementinterventions are described in Table 2.

By and Beyond Year 2010If options will be adopted by the year 2010,

a modern and complete geodetic network isexpected to have been in place; better data andinformation management schemes have alreadybeen established; and a law will have been passedand approved for the adoption of the appropriatereference framework, including policies andguidelines on data/map integration and real-timepositioning. Fundamental datasets will have beenintegrated into the new reference framework andprecise positions will have already included thevertical component. With the completion of theprototype on active geodetic stations, appropriatemechanisms and procedures may be drawn fornationwide installation and operation of at least 25continuously operating reference stations.Stakeholders will have gained an understandingand increased their participation for thesustainability of the infrastructure. The UserManual for Transformation/Conversion will havebecome available nationwide. With theinfrastructure efficiently administered, adequatestandards and procedures as well as bestpractices will have been documented. Additionalresponsibilities of the government will haveincluded network maintenance, data storage,electronic dissemination, spectrum management,among others.

Beyond the year 2010, it is anticipated thatthere will be more active participation and greatercontributions by the wider user-community. Otherthematic maps which have been integrated willhave been easily made as tools and made

Table 2. Risk Factors and Management Intervention4

4Author’s note: Risk factors are not arranged chronologically.

...continued on page 20

inf mapper16

2Engineer IV, Photogrammetry Division, Mapping Department

News

The Geodetic Engineers of the Philippines (GEP),Incorporated held its 31st Annual National DirectorateMeeting and Convention which had for its theme “Re-engineering the Philippine Land Administration andManagement System towards a Strong Republic” at theTagaytay International Convention Center in Tagaytay Cityon 16-18 June 2005. Shown in this photo is the ceremonialribbon-cutting for the Geomatics Exposition 2005, aparallel event. This was led by DENR UndersecretaryManuel D. Gerochi and NAMRIA Administrator Diony A.Ventura. Looking on are Engr. Pedro Noble (in pink shirt),Regional Technical Director, LMS, DENR-Region V; Engr.Alfredo D. Antonio (in blue shirt), GEP National President;Engr. Benjamin Mindajao (in gray shirt), Member,Professional Regulatory Board for Geodetic Engineering,Professional Regulation Commission; Engr. RestitutoBautista (in white shirt), past National President, GEP;and Engr. Randolf S. Vicente, NAMRIA Plans andOperations Chief, GEP National Public Relations Officer,and Convention Chairman (extreme right).

The NAMRIA PRS92 technical workinggroup on research, development, and extensionchaired by Mapping Department Director JoseGalo P. Isada, Jr. conducted last December apilot project in the municipalities of Bacarra andPasuquin in Ilocos Norte. The activity aimed todetermine the local/regional transformationparameters to integrate survey and maps toPRS92.

The pilot project involved four majoractivities, namely: (1) Densification, (2) Datagathering, (3) Reconnaissance and recoverysurvey, and (4) Re-observation andestablishment of new positions for cadastralproject controls in PRS92.

Preliminary cadastral data were gatheredfrom the Land Management Sector office ofDENR Region I in San Fernando, La Union. Thegathered information included a municipalboundary index map, a municipal index controlmap, and project control description sheets withcoordinates in the old system of Bureau of LandsLocation Monuments, Municipal BoundaryMonuments, and Barangay Boundary

PRS92 task group undertakes pilot projectby Nicandro P. Parayno2

Monuments for Bacarra and Pasuquin. Togetherwith large-scale planimetric maps from NAMRIA,the information were used in identifying controlsand locating possible sites for the recovery surveyas initial assessment of the selected pilot area.

During the conduct of the recovery surveyof cadastral project controls for the pilot sites, asufficient number of well-distributed controlmonuments were chosen from the municipalindex control map to determine the true relationshipbetween the local and the PRS92-related globaldatum. The number, distribution, and stability ofthe recovered points and the adoptedtransformation technique determined theachievable accuracy of the local transformation.The activity was undertaken in coordination withthe respective DENR provincial and communityENR local offices. Their assistance fast-trackedthe recovery survey especially on points that werealready disturbed and were difficult to locate.

With the availability of recovered controls,new positions in PRS92 were obtained usinghigh-accuracy survey grade GPS equipment.The static method was used with an observation

time of 15 minutes per point with more than sixsatellites available. Global datum positions wereattained at third order accuracy for the local datumrecovered points and the local survey networkrecomputed in terms of the global datum.

Initial results of the pilot project show thatconsistent relative shifting in coordinates basedon the old reference system occurs with anaverage magnitude of 2 and 20 meters, withrespect to easting and northing. An initial set oflocal transformation parameters for the area wasalso computed and used for the remaining projectcontrols. The latter were not recovered andserved as “check points.” An additional set ofcadastral project controls was recovered andobserved on 19 April 2005. The second set willbe used to compute for the final transformationparameters applicable for the area.

The process adopted and the initial result ofthe pilot project were presented during the trainingon “Data Transformation, Survey, and MapIntegration to PRS92,” which was conducted on23-25 May 2005.

inf mapper 17

NAMRIA and the EnvironmentalManagement Bureau (EMB) of DENR, RegionIII, have forged a partnership to develop anEnvironmental Profiling System (EPS) for theregion. The undertaking is in support of thebureau’s effort to actively pursue sustained andsystematic environmental governance toguarantee a clean and healthy environment forthe Central Luzon Region.

The EPS is envisioned to provide a facilityfor the efficient management of environmental dataand an effective statistical system at the EMBregional office. The EPS will provide adequatedata support for decision making and policyformulation. It is designed to organize thetremendous amount of data that is being generatedby the current system in the region. This willmake data presentation simple and coherent tousers within and outside DENR.

The project focuses on the formulation of aGIS-based environmental profile for Region III.

EPS for management of environmental databy Jaime P. Mallare1

It will utilize the data gathered from the processingof Environmental Compliance Certificateapplications under the Environmental ImpactStatement System, air- and water-qualitymonitoring activities, solid-waste management,and monitoring of toxic and hazardous materials.The system will also provide tools and utilities forthe delineation of airshed areas.

The project has already completed themapping and plotting of Environmentally CriticalAreas, solid-waste management sites, and otherdifferent thematic maps such as those dealingwith air and water quality and airshed areas.

A series of on-the-job-trainings was alsoconducted for EMB Region III personnel. Thetrainees, using their own data, got firsthandexperience of the concepts of GIS and in theprocess built their own geographical databases.They were also able to design and develop thelinkage between GIS and the databasemanagement system.

1Information Technology Officer II, Database Management Division, Information Management Department2Lieutenant Senior Grade, Hydrographic Division, Coast and Geodetic Survey Department

A major long-term goal of the project is toinstitutionalize the EPS. This requires recruitingmore agency partners and publishingenvironmental plans on the Web using GIS. Otherlong-term goals include increasing Internetusage for building up and publishing planningand EMB documents, collaborating withconstituents, increasing partnerships with otherenvironmental organizations, and modernizingenvironmental data management to supportinteractive access while maintaining traditionalpaper outputs.

The institutionalization of the EPS withinEMB promises to change the way the bureauuses GIS in support of environmental planningand management. The EPS is envisioned tofoster the government-to-government andgovernment-to-citizen data and servicesinterchange. This happens to be the criticalcomponent of the management plan of thepresent administration.

NAMRIA-JICA ENC project completedby Alberto B. Sta. Ana2

The NAMRIA-Japan InternationalCooperation Agency (JICA) ElectronicNavigational Chart (ENC) Project was completedon 14 June 2005. The Japanese Governmentgrant-in-aid project which started in year 2000was aimed at modernizing nautical charting inthe Philippines through the development ofENCs. The ENCs supplement the tools for safenavigation used by mariners.

The project produced four published small-scale and six published large-scale ENCs. Thesmall-scale ENCs cover Central Mindanao,Central Visayas, Northern Luzon, and the SuluSea area. The large-scale ENCs coverBatangas Harbor, Cebu Harbor, Manila Harbor,Manila to Cavite, Port Olongapo and its vicinity,and Subic Bay. All cited ENCs have already beenupdated except for Batangas Harbor, CebuHarbor, Port Olongapo and its vicinity, and SubicBay. Chart features such as aids and dangers tonavigation, changes in coastline, and conditionsaffecting safe navigation were validated as totheir existence and the correctness of theirgeographic coordinates.

Awareness seminars on ENC forstakeholders were also conducted in Batangas,Cebu, Manila, and Subic. Each seminar featuredan actual demonstration of the ENC technologyonboard a motor launch. Attendees were mostlyfrom the academe, fishing industries, governmentagencies, shipping lines, and yacht owners.NAMRIA also provided lectures on ENC uponthe request of the Philippine Coast Guard andthe Philippine Navy.

During the five-year period, JICA facilitatedthe transfer of technology by providing hardwareand software, personnel training, and technicalexperts to establish and develop an ENC systemin NAMRIA.

The project acquired for NAMRIA a plotterand a scanner, computers, GPS receivers,printers, SevenCs software package, a dKartInspector, and GPS- processing software. TheSevenCs software package consisted of fivemodules for ENC-compilation, quality assurance,and creating and testing an exchange set on anElectronic Chart Display Information System

format; while the dKart Inspector was forindependent quality assurance.

Japanese experts provided technicalassistance to the project. They conducted an in-house training for NAMRIA technical staff, someof whom were also sent to Japan for trainings inhydrographic survey, ENC management, andENC production. NAMRIA and JICA personnelalso visited the hydrographic offices of Australia,Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, andSouth Korea to exchange ideas and informationon the respective experiences in ENC productionof these countries.

The original time frame for the project wasthree years, from June 2000 to June 2003. Sixmonths before it ended, a Japan EvaluationMission Team was dispatched to assess thestatus and progess of the project. Members ofthe team together with their NAMRIA counterpartsrecommended a two-year extension, from June2003 to June 2005, to complete all the targetoutputs of the project.

inf mapper18

Now one year in operation, the technicalworking group (TWG) on standard seamlessdigital topographic database is continuing with itsefforts to promote the need for standardization inthe creation of digital topographic databases. Theneed for standardization and the creation of theTWG came about as a result of the followingreasons: (a) Unreliability of data sources; (b)Problems on positional accuracy; (c) Non-standard parameters for transformation,conversion, and projection; (d) Use of differentsoftware and platforms; (e) Proliferation of basemaps; (f) Difficulties in geo-referencing and/orrubber sheeting of digital raster graphics; and

Updates on the Standard Seamless Digital Topographic Databaseby Ma. Mercedes M. Manoos1

(g) Difficulties in creating a “seamless” digitaltopographic database. The creation of the TWGon 07 May 2004 was spearheaded by theNAMRIA Information Management Department(IMD).

The TWG has the following tasks: (a) toevaluate and review the features andperformance of software packages used byvarious NAMRIA departments, in terms ofaddressing the issues on the creation of aseamless database for 1:50,000-scaletopographic maps; (b) to validate findings andexisting procedures on the creation of a seamlessdatabase for 1:50,000-scale topographic maps

1Information Systems Analyst III, Database Management Division, Information Management Department

Future VisionsIndeed there are very important benefits to

operating additional tide stations considering thearchipelagic nature of the Philippines. Tide gaugedata is very important not only for hydrographybut for other areas of research and moreimportantly in support of technical and scientificapplications.

Operating additional tide stations, moreover,is very timely in the light of the recent IndianOcean tsunami tragedy. It will be for the benefit ofthe country if we will be able to establish more tidegauge-telemetry systems as part of the PTWCnetwork in the Pacific. In the eastern Philippineside, the tide stations in Sta. Ana in Cagayan and

documented by various NAMRIA departments,and make appropriate recommendations; (c)to formulate and recommend standards,guidelines, and policies based on validatedfindings and procedures for adoption by allNAMRIA departments in the generation of digitalspatial data; and (d) to conduct IEC andconsultation activities in relation to the formulatedstandards and policies.

The TWG has so far conducted 11 meetingsand 4 workshops. All of the technical meetingsand workshops were held in NAMRIA exceptthe last workshop which was held at Sulô Hotel.This workshop held on 16 December 2004served as a consultation assembly with the GIScommunity or users of geographic information,both in government and private sectors with themembers of the IATFGI making up most of theparticipants. In this workshop, the draftAdministrative Order (AO) prescribing theGuidelines for the Creation of a StandardSeamless Digital Topographic Database from1:50,000-Scale Topographic Maps wasthoroughly discussed. The draft Volume I of theManual of Standards for the Creation of aSeamless Digital Topographic Database wasalso distributed to the participants for review.Further revisions on the AO and the manual arebeing continually made by the TWG throughweekly meetings in time for their approval withinthis year.

Documentation of findings on evaluating thedifferent georeferencing procedures of concernedNAMRIA departments was also completed bythe TWG last year. Actual ground validation ofgeoreferenced maps was postponed, however,due to time and budgetary constraints.

The TWG is chaired by Plans andOperations Division (POD) Chief, Randolf S.Vicente and co-chaired by DatabaseManagement Division(DMD)/IMD Chief, BobbyA. Crisostomo. Its members are composed ofrepresentatives from the departments of Coastand Geodetic Survey, Information Management,Mapping, Remote Sensing and Resource DataAnalysis; the Development Studies andStandards Office; and the POD. The DMD/IMDacts as TWG secretariat.

Surigao City would be very strategic parts of thePTWC network. Also it will be to our advantage ifa tide station can be established at Borongan inSamar and along the eastern Mindanao sidepossibly in Bislig. Providing telemetry systemsfor the tide stations in Davao City and Zamboangawill be valuable to address tidal issues in thesouthern part of the Philippines. The SanFernando and San Jose tide stations will likewisebe very important for the western Philippine sideand the western side of Palawan.

Lastly, the additional tide stations establishedwill play a very vital role in the implementation ofthe new Philippine reference system (PRS92)for the vertical component requirement of ourgeodetic control network. Comprehensive tidalinformation would be required as an input indeveloping a more appropriate geoid model forthe Philippines.

Tide Stations...from page 9

Workshop held at SulôHotel in December 2004

inf mapper 19

The Philippines is geographically locatedwithin a typhoon belt. For this reason, it issusceptible to weather- and water-related

disasters such as the Ormoc Flood in 1991 andthe recent inundation in Nueva Ecija caused byTyphoon “Winnie.” These and similaroccurrences have claimed countless lives andproperties. “Force majeure”… “fortuitous event”...“act of God”… are phrases used to describe thesedestructive natural phenomena, which are impliedas being beyond the capability of man to preventor control. Nonetheless, every time one of thesecalamities occurs, people are quick to blamethe government. In particular, DENR is the usualscapegoat of people who are quick to point to itssupposed failure to protect our forests. Thepositive implication of this kind of thinking is theawareness of people as to how essential theforest trees are in maintaining the ecologicalbalance. Nevertheless, the people should still beproperly informed that the government does notclose its eyes on the matter.

For effective planning, and sustainabledevelopment and management of the forestrysector, it is important to have a reliable set offorest cover data as basis. The last nationwideforest resources inventory in the Philippines wasconducted through the RP-German ForestResources Inventory (FRI) Project of the DENRFMB from 1982 to 1988. The project revealedan estimated forest cover of the country of 6.46million hectares or 21.5 percent of the total landarea covering both forestlands and Alienable andDisposable (A & D) lands. Considering, however,the significant changes that had already takenplace from 1988 to 2003, these data are nowdeemed impractical since they no longer reflectthe present condition of the country’s forests.Recognizing the pressing need for an updatedforest inventory, former DENR Secretary EliseaG. Gozun directed FMB and NAMRIA toundertake a joint project utilizing the LANDSATETM images of 2002 and 2003 acquired byNAMRIA through a National Commission ofIndigenous Peoples-related project.

The Forest Cover Statistics Project startedin the latter part of 2003 with FMB assuming theresponsibility of modifying the National FRI forestcategories into new classifications, taking intoconsideration international forest resources

The Significance of Forest Cover Statisticsby Elpidio B. Gelera Jr.1

definitions and data reporting. NAMRIA, on theother hand, was tasked to undertake imageinterpretation, mapping, and statistics generations.The area estimation was based on theinterpretation of a total of 40 satellite scenescovering the entire country and mostly taken in2002 and 2003. Maps for the 16 administrativeregions involving 79 provinces and the NationalCapital Region (NCR) were prepared showingthe forest cover at the time the satellite imagerieswere taken. They consist of 79 provincial landcover maps.

The activities involved in this endeavorinclude acquisition of LANDSAT ETM images, aconsultative meeting between FMB andNAMRIA, geo-referencing, image processing,scanning and digitization of different thematicmaps, image interpretations, preliminarymapping, statistics generation, accuracyassessment, map editing, and map layouting withthe final map layout prepared at 1:100,000 scale.

The result, reflected in Table 1, is the totalforest area estimated at 7.17 million hectares or24 % of the total land area of the country which is30 million hectares.

As shown in the table, about 6.5 millionhectares or 22% of the total land area are foundin forestlands while 646,817 million or 2.19% arelocated in A & D lands. The open forest in theforestland is the largest in terms of area accountingfor 3.6 million hectares or 12.12% of the total landarea. Second largest is the closed forest at 2.5million hectares or 8.45%. In a broad context, aclosed forest is a formation where trees covermore than 40% of the ground and do not have acontinuous dense grass layer and may have

1Remote Sensing Technologist II, Land Classification Division, Remote Sensing and Resource Data Analysis Department

been logged over one or more times. These areactually the areas logged over by timber licenseagreement holders including those portions thatwere affected by timber poaching. An open forestis a formation with discontinuous tree layershaving a coverage area of at least 10% and lessthan 40% which is either managed or unmanaged.Included are forest areas that have not beenlogged over and logged-over areas withvegetation that have reached the closed canopystage. A forest has attained this stage when thetreetops or crowns are in close contact, creatinga shaded forest interior.

The forested area in A & D lands accountsfor 646,849 hectares or 2.19%. Under A & Dlands, the open forest comprises the largest at452,055 hectares or 1.53% while the closedforest covers 65,039 hectares. These areascould be former forestlands that have beenclassified as A & D lands, with some partssubjected to logging due to the presence of timberlicensees in the 1970s. Mangrove forests referto communities of trees thriving in mangroveareas. In 1988, mangrove forests were estimatedat 139,100 hectares while in 2003, they covered247,362 hectares. There is an increase ofmangrove forest cover of 78% from 1988 to 2003.The increase may be attributed to reforestationefforts and the policy of banning the cutting ofmangrove species. Plantation forests areproducts of reforestations and other tree-plantingactivities. They account for 281,764 hectares inforestland and 47,814 hectares in A & D lands or0.95% and 0.16% of the total forest area,respectively.

Table 1. Forest area (in hectares) by land classification

Forest Area

Forestland A & D Forest Type

Area % to Total

Land Area Area

% to Total

Land Area

Total 6,521,548 22.08 646,852 2.19

Closed Forest 2,495,833 8.45 65,039 0.22

Open Forest 3,578,526 12.12 452,062 1.53

Mangrove 165,425 0.56 81,937 0.28

Plantation 281,764 0.95 47,814 0.16


inf mapper20

The I

nfom

appe

rA

Pub

licat

ion

on S

urve

ys,

Map

ping

, an

d R

esou

rce

Info

rmat

ion

Tech

nolo

gyN

atio

nal

Map

ping

and

Res

ourc

e In

form

atio

n A

utho

rity,

For

t And

res

Bon

ifaci

o, T

agui

g C

ity

PRIN

TED

MAT

TERAs analyzed by the Remote Sensing and

Resource Data Analysis Department, there wasan increase in the total forest area from 6.46million hectares in 1988 to 7.17 million hectaresin 2003 or an increment of about 700,000 hectaresor 11%. This is an increase of forest area of47,000 hectares per year from 1988 to 2003. Itis worth noting that the increase can be attributedto the development of forests in A & D lands whichaccounts for 77% of the total increase in forestarea. In addition, the logging moratorium inseveral areas of the country and the intensiveforest protection program involving theparticipation of the people resulted in thepreservation of the existing forests. Theinvolvement of the communities and the privatesector in protecting their lands is a contributoryfactor in the preservation of the natural forests, asconfirmed by the figures showing that 70% of theforest area in A & D lands is open forest.

The increase in forest cover as comparedto the result of the last forest inventory is a positivesign in the government’s efforts to rejuvenateour forests. We, however, also have to considerthe fact that the reported rate of deforestation in thePhilippines is about 1.4% annually. If this trendcontinues, it is estimated that all virgin forests willdisappear by the year 2010 (Encarta ReferenceLibrary, 2004). With only a little forest area left,the country could be likened to a kingdom withouta fortress. It would be vulnerable to the arrows ofheavy monsoon rains and the barrage of tidalwaves on its shores. Soil erosion and floodingmay consequently occur which is why it isimportant that our existing forests should bemaintained and protected. Permanent forest

Map showing the present forest cover ofthe Philippines

available. As the establishment of other activegeodetic stations progresses, the need for groundmarkers will have become progressively less.The synergy of global positioning andcommunications technology will have made thisfacility possible. The ability to precisely locate aposition in a three-dimensional aspect will thenbe as easy as telling the time. The infrastructurewill thus become an intrinsic part of a global

The Significance...from page 19

Upgrading...from page 15

boundaries should also be established so thatactivities in these areas can be well regulatedand illegal logging could be minimized, if notprevented.

The proper implementation of laws inprotecting our remaining forests complementsthe endeavors extended to restore and increasethe remaining forest. Success in the cause offorest protection can be achieved with everyone’sstrict adherence to the relevant rules andregulations. The vigilance of the community isalso very much required. All sectors need towork hand in hand.

geodetic network and a solution to worldwidechanges and challenges.

What lies ahead is the decision of whether togo “geocentric” or to adopt a new “geodetic”datum, say, PGI2010. Ideas and optionsaddressing these future challenges should beincorporated in the Transition Plan.

Documents

Inf mapper - NAMRIA · inf mapper 5 industry development and facilitate active participation in geographic information acquisition, development, and provisioning to local and global