The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the International Committee on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (ICG) have been working together since 2006 to host and co-organize the United Nations Workshop on Global Navigational Satellite System (GNSS) Applications. This event is hosted by a different country every year and this year, the Philippines hosted the event. The event this year was held at the Sheraton Manila Hotel from 22-26 April 2024, and organized by the Office for Outer Space Affairs in cooperation with the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) and co-organized and co-sponsored by the ICG and the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSa).

 

 

The workshop brought together 107 experts from various sectors, such as national space agencies, academia, research institutions, international organizations, and industry from developed and developing countries interested in developing and applying GNSS for practical applications and scientific explorations. The European Union along with 23 member states were represented in the workshop, namely: Algeria, Armenia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, China, Croatia, Egypt, Estonia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Russian Federation, Thailand, Tunisia, United States and Uzbekistan.

 

 

 

NAMRIA Administrator Usec. Peter N. Tiangco, PhD, CESO I, gave opening and welcome remarks where he stressed the opportunity for collaboration and innovation and encouraged the participants to share their ideas freely throughout the workshop. The Director General of the PhilSa, Dr. Joel Joseph S. Marciano, Jr., and the representative of the UNOOSA, Ms. Sharafat Gadimova, both delivered welcome messages. The welcome messages were followed by the keynote address of Hon. Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), represented by Usec. Augusto D. Dela Peña.

 

The workshop was about the attendees exchanging information and engaging for GNSS. Over several days, they delved into a variety of topics, which included the current and planned GNSS systems, satellite-based augmentation systems, GNSS reference stations and applications, space weather and ionospheric monitoring with GNSS, precise point positioning service, implementing GNSS technologies, and presentations on case studies and national programs related to GNSS.

 

 

In between workshop activities, the international delegates were treated to a reception dinner complete with a captivating cultural presentation organized by the PhilSa.

 

 

NAMRIA, through Engr. Dennis Arsenio B. Bringas, did a presentation on vertical land motion (VLM) at co-located tide gauge and GNSS stations. Attendees went on a technical visit to NAMRIA the day Engr. Bringas presented. The technical visit included an introduction to the Philippine Active Geodetic Network (PAGeNet), presented by Engr. Charisma Victoria D. Cayapan, and tours to the NAMRIA Museum of Mapping and Surveying and PTAG, one of PAGeNet's three Tier 1 stations.

 

 

 

 

Various presenters discussed GNSS technology and applications, followed by working group sessions on capacity building and institutional strengthening, and specific GNSS applications. The wrap-up portion of the workshop featured reports on the presentations and working group sessions. The workshop ended with NAMRIA Mapping and Geodesy Branch Director Ruel DM. Belen delivering the closing remarks.