NAMRIA NEWSCOOP


NAMRIA in Puerto Princesa City: Signs MOU with one of eight partner-cities of USAID's CDI
By: Philip Serazon

NAMRIA and the City Government of Puerto Princesa, Palawan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at Conference 1, City Hall, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan on 24 January 2018. Deputy Administrator Jose C. Cabanayan Jr. and Mapping and Geodesy Branch Assistant Director Ofelia T. Castro represented NAMRIA, while Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron and OIC-City Administrator Arnel M. Pedrosa represented the City of Puerto Princesa during the MOU signing and turnover of maps.
 
(Front L-R) Assistant Director Ofelia T. Castro, Palawan Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron, 
Deputy Administrator Jose C. Cabanayan Jr.,  Atty. Arnel M. Pedrosa (Puerto Princesa City Administrator) 
sign the Memorandum of Undestanding. (Back L-R) Ms. Jovenee C. Sagun 
(Puerto Princesa City Planning and Development Coordinator), Mr. Bradley L. Baxter (Chief of Party, SURGE Project),
Ms. Marian Cruz-Navata (Urban Planning Specialist, USAID), and Puerto Pricesa City Vice-Mayor Ma. Nancy M. Socrates
 
After the MOU signing, NAMRIA provided Puerto Princesa City with digital orthoimage, printed orthoimage map, and digital terrain model (DTM) and digital surface model (DSM) as derived from 2013 interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IfSAR) airbone technology covering Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. These maps and models will be highly useful when they draft and implement their local plans and programs.
 
Deputy Administrator Cabanayan during the Introduction and Overview of NAMRIA  
 
Mayor Bayron during his Welcome Remarks 
 
Meanwhile, a Partnership Agreement signing took place between Puerto Princesa City, Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP), Seaweed Network, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), MIMAROPA Region during the event.  The agreement is geared towards enhancing production and marketing tie-ups for Puerto Princesa City seaweed growers. 
 
Both the MOU and Partnership Agreement signings were supported by United States Agency for International Development-Strengthening Urban Resilience for Growth and Equity (USAID-SURGE) Project. The objectives of the project are to improve local capacity in an inclusive and resilient urban development, to promote low-emission local economic development strategies, to expand economic connectivity and access between urban and rural areas, and to strengthen multi-sectoral capacity to ensure inclusive growth.
 
(Front L-R) Mr. Robert Abrera (Assistant Director, BFAR MIMAROPA),Mr. Angelino Rebentinola (Co-Chair, Private Sector,
Seaweed Network), Mayor Bayron,Mr. Max Ricohermoso (Chair, SIAP), and Atty. Pedrosa signs the MOU
while (back L-R) Mr. Baxter, Ms.Cruz-Navata, and Vice-Mayor Socrates look on
 
After the signings, Engr. Maricel P. De Luna and Engr. Gliceria Y. Yarre from the Photogrammetry Division, Mapping and Geodesy Branch of NAMRIA conducted an orientation on map utilization and sample applications.
 
 
(Top L-R) Engr. Yarre and Engr. De Luna during their orientation on map utilization and sample applications
 
Puerto Princesa City is one of the eight  partner cities of USAID’s Cities Development Initiative (CDI). An MOU signing between NAMRIA and the remaining seven CDI cities, namely Batangas City, Tagbilaran City, Legazpi City, Iloilo City, Zamboanga City, General Santos City, and Cagayan de Oro is set at the NAMRIA Lecture Hall in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, on 30 January 2017.
 
 
 
Mr. Baxter (top) and Ms. Cruz-Navata (bottom) with their messages during the event


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