NSO seeks support, assistance of village in mapping project

By Lilibeth A. French

Wednesday 6th of June 2012

ILOILO CITY, June 6 (PIA) -- The regional office of the National Statistics Office (NSO) in Western Visayas is asking the support and assistance of barangay (village) officials to ensure the smooth conduct of the ongoing mapping project in the barangays of the region.

“We are again soliciting the assistance of our barangay officials in identifying landmarks and boundaries in their respective barangays and for the safety of our field workers as we implement the mapping project,” said Arleen Bagoning, Statistician II of NSO 6.

Bagoning said some 95 map data collectors and processors were hired and deployed in different barangays of the region to undertake the mapping activities in five months time. Of the total number, nine were assigned in the province of Aklan, 10 in Antique, 11 in Capiz, three in Guimaras, 40 in Iloilo, and 22 in Negros Occidental.

The mapping project aims to produce digitized maps at the barangay/Enumeration Area level using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology.

“Mapping is an integral part of a census or survey operation to ensure the complete coverage of an area and avoid duplication. Enumerators and supervisors use barangay and EA maps to plot households and to sketch important landmarks and area features. It is therefore necessary that maps are complete and they must conform to the standard set by the office,” said Bagoning.

The NSO intends to map all barangays/EA nationwide through the project. To date, some 3,288 barangays have digitized maps, 19,524 barangays have high resolution Google Earth images which will have to be digitized and 19,114 barangays have no high resolution Google Earth which will be mapped using the Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers.

Bagoning said all the field workers have undergone training using the GIS and GPS receivers. (JCM/LAF-PIA 6)