BUTUAN CITY - In a bid to make Mindanao more progressive, developed and peaceful, a two-year P300 million joint project of the Philippine and Japanese governments is being set for the southern island, it was learned Wednesday.
The project will be undertaken by the National Mapping and Resources Information Authority (NAMRIA), an attached agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
NAMRIA will be implementing a digital topographic mapping project for Mindanao expected to bring about socio-economic and peace development in the region.
"The project is not only expected to result in socio-economic and peace development in the region but also serves as a commitment for the first 100 days of President Benigno S. Aquino III," said DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje, in a press statement.
The project is dubbed "Topographic Mapping for Peace and Development in Mindanao."
The two-year joint project of the Philippines and Japanese governments is being financed through a grant of one billion yen (approximately P300 million) from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Paje said the project aims to update the 205 topographic base maps covering Mindanao at 1:50,000 scale.
The project also aims to provide data necessary for development planning, infrastructure development, risk reduction and management, and environmental protection.
Under the project's implementation agreement signed on January, 2010, JICA will dispatch a project team and transfer technology to the Philippines while NAMRIA and Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) will facilitate the project involvement of other government and non-government organizations.
Paje also said that under the project, JICA, who has now set up an office in Mindanao, will subcontract the survey activities to private contractors while NAMRIA will monitor the activities.
"Data gathered from the survey activities will be endorsed to JICA for processing. Outputs of the project include reports, satellite images, ortho-image maps, ground control point coordinates, and 1:50,000 scale digital topographic data for geographic information system (GIS) application which will be distributed to local government units. These will serve as base information data that will help developers in their development projects in the region," added Paje.
