ESRI exec sees bright future for GIS in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) Director for International Operations (Esri) Dean Angelides is optimistic about the future of GIS in the Philippines, noting the “amazing progress over the last five years” due to the overwhelming interest of the youth. 

In his key presentation at the EDSA Shangri-la Manila last Jan. 22, Angelides touched on the new developments in GIS technology, such as the solution templates and the ArcGIS, a major turning point today, a system for the entire organization.

Angelides also spoke of the new medium for ArcGIS, the web maps.

Speaking before an assembly of close to 500 participants from all over the Philippines, guest speaker Undersecretary Peter N. Tiangco, administrator of NAMRIA (National Mapping and Resource Information Authority), cited the Philippine Geoportal Project, which aims to provide a platform for ICT and GIS-based projects, and the One Nation, One Map advocacy.

Tiangco said that by early March, NAMRIA will have a new topographic base map for Mindanao, which has long been awaited by many. The map was funded by the Japanese government through a P500-million grant.

The two-day conference with the theme “Enhancing Governance and Citizen Engagement” included sessions and activities to maximize the learning, sharing and interaction among the delegates, the ESRI team, exhibitors and guest speakers, according to Geodata Systems Technologies, Inc. president Alberto Morales, who gave the opening remarks.

Other speakers were ESRIs international business development manager Mike Quin, Gov. Felipe Hilan S. Nava of Guimaras, Manila Water Co. chief information officer Mauricio D. Franco, Jr. and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) project team leader of the Disaster Risk Exposure and Assessment for Mitigation (DREAM), Dr. Eric Paringit.

The conference was sponsored by Microsoft, AGI and Epson.