GIS for Philippines Local Government Units

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Region 2 urged all Local Government Units to prioritize establishing their own Geographic Information System (GIS) to mainstream disaster risk reduction in planning, says report.

Regional Director Milagros A. Rimando said the Regional Geographic Information Network (RGIN) aims to establish a more systematic and organized sharing of geographically referenced information.

She said the geographic information from the different municipalities will be incorporated to the information available to the RGIN.

Rimando explained that by using available maps in the municipality, buildings, road networks, infrastructure and utilities must be digitized.

Leomar Israel, GIS expert of NEDA, further explained that the maps help point out risky areas during calamities.

Israel sets as an example the use of GIS in flood risk management. He pointed hat through the GIS map the areas with low elevation, prone to erosion will be easily determined as well as number of buildings and population to be damaged.