by:
Claro A. Lanipa
Pagadian
City, June 28 (PIA) – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) Region IX in partnership with the local government units (LGUs)
signed a Memorandum of Agreement on the
Philippine Reference System (PRS 92) “Adopt-a-Mojon’ Project on Friday, June 22, 2012 at the Anastacia
Pensionne House, this city.
PRS92
is a homogenous national network of geodetic control points (GCPs), marked by
survey monuments or mojons, that have been established using Global Positioning
System (GPS) technology. GPS is an all-weather, high precision, global
satellite positioning system that revolutionized navigation and surveying
operations.
By
virtue of Executive Order 45, PRS92 became the standard reference system for
all surveying and mapping activities in the Philippines. The order also
mandated that all surveys and maps shall be referred to the new network and all
old surveys shall be integrated into it.
DENR
9 Regional Executive Director Arleigh Adorable said, with the implementation of
the unified PRS92 we will be able to establish control points in the whole
country for all surveyors and everybody else who may use it as the only
reference point. This is the reason why these mojons are very important to all
of us.
Director
Adorable further said, that with the implementation of PRS92, we will be able
to perhaps know the exact political boundaries of a certain province, city, municipality
or barangay. These monuments are very vital in the preparation of a
comprehensive land use plan, no matter how big is your municipality. Setting
aside areas for agriculture development , commercial or residential sites and
other related purposes, these mojons will be made available as reference point
in every municipality and that will be cascaded down to the barangays, he explained.
He
said, aside from these mojons, DENR will also establish control points down to
the barangay level. With the GPS, we can also determined where in the barangay
are hazard prone areas, so this is a very important piece of stone that we have
to take care and protect, Adorable challenged the chief executives.
Adorable
also urged the municipal mayors to help
and assist DENR in protecting and guarding these mojons, as stipulated in the
rationale of the agreement. He also
asked the chief executives to pass an
ordinance to adopt these mojons and even perhaps put some penalties for those
who will tamper or destroy the mojons. And come up with a campaign to
disseminate the information to the barangay officials the importance of these
mojons, and that they have to protect it.
Adorable
was optimistic, that this will signal the start of the lasting partnership
between the DENR and LGUs. All of us will be benefited from this project
including other government agencies who engage in survey activities.
The
MOA signing was entered into between the DENR 9 represented by RED Arleigh
Adorable, Mayor Allan Damas of Kumalarang, Canuto Enerio of Lakewood and Ace
William Cerilles of Dumalinao all of Zamboanga del Sur, Payao Mayor Joeper
Mendoza and Richard Tiu, Sr. of Alicia, Zamboanga Sibugay.
After
the MOA signing a certificate of appreciation were also given to the five
municipal mayors for their invaluable support to the program. (CAL/PIA9)