Making of new map of Mindanao starts

COTABATO CITY, July 27 (PNA)-- The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the National Mapping Resource Information Agency (NAMRIA) will launch Tuesday the Mindanao Topographic Mapping for Peace and Development Project to be presented to key stakeholders in Mindanao.

The launching will be held at Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City.

Details of the two-year project designed to update and transform the topographic maps to the Philippine Reference System of 1992, will be presented to the target beneficiaries from the private and public sectors from all institutions involved in infrastructure, environmental management, national and local government planning, tourism, investment and security, to name a few.

The MTMPDP was conceptualized by NAMRIA in June 2009 to update the 50 year old topographic maps of Mindanao including the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

For several decades, government institutions and donor groups have been referring to the Mindanao map made in the late 1950s as basis for geographic data needed in the planning and implementation of their programs and projects.

With the effective mapping technologies available today, the proposed topographic maps will be implemented through digital vector data for Graphic Information System (GIS) technology applications.

In January 15 this year, a partnership agreement was forged between NAMRIA, MinDA and JICA to jointly implement the project.

The MTMPDP is in line with the development objectives of the Government Information System Plan (GISP) prepared by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to harness the full potentials of information and communications technology (ICT) and ensure wider public access to government information and efficient delivery of the government services to the public.

Jesus Dureza, MinDA chair, said the geographic information is vital to an effective implementation of development projects in the country.

"The geographic information from these updated topographic maps will be an indispensable tool for planning and development activities," Dureza said.

He emphasized the benefits of the project for the ongoing formulation of the Mindanao 2020 Peace and Development Framework Plan which is also an updated framework plan that shall guide peace and development efforts in the island-region for the next 20 years.

Dureza said the project is in line with the overall peace and development initiative in Mindanao.

Dureza added that aside from contributing to peace and development planning, the information generated by topographic mapping project may also be used to improve investment decisions of developers and investors, increase foreign investment in Mindanao, enhance infrastructure planning and development schemes, and effectively facilitate the conservation and preservation of natural resources alongside disaster risk mitigation.

All the outputs of the project shall form part of the information systems of MinDA and NAMRIA to aid in decision-making activities in order to accelerate socio-economic and peace process development in Mindanao.

He also said that the information, once completed, will be made available to the public, students, planners and policy makers, either on-line or hard copy at the MinDA office in Davao City. (PNA)