The ATI MIMAROPA conducted a five-day Training on Applied Geotagging and Aerial Mapping for ATI Staff on November 28 – December 2, 2022 at ATI, Barcenaga, Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.
This aimed to capacitate and familiarize the employees, especially those staff who conduct field activities, monitoring and validation, on the use of geotagging technology and aerial mapping as tools for validating the implemented projects and programs of ATI MIMAROPA.
With the help of the resource persons from DA-Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP), the training provided the participants with basic knowledge and skills in geotagging and web application and processing.
In addition, what made the training more appreciative was the hands-on activities where the participants were tasked to geotag ATI MIMAROPA Center. They were also map areas using drone and save the information in their mobile devices. Apart from these, they were taught how to transfer the saved files from their devices to the computer and make use of the information in preparing for a report. The participants were also taught how to create a database for the geotagged files for easy access and storage of data.
According to the participants, with ATI’s interventions and projects across the region, geotagging can be of help to easily conform to actual field conditions for information and reports as well as map out projects and programs implemented by ATI. In addition, they said that the prototype shown by the resource person on how they map out and store project information is something that is worth replicating for. As a result of the training, they drafted an action plan where they plan to geotag all assisted projects of ATI MIMAROPA and have an online database of it to have a monitoring tool and an easier access to the clients.
“Ang training na ito ay napaka-worth it dahil talagang magagamit natin ito sa ating trabaho. Ang ATI assisted projects tulad ng Learning Sites for Agriculture, FITS Centers at iba pa ay kayang-kaya na nating i-geotag. Hindi nasayang ang training na ito kahit holiday ay pinasukan natin. Ito din ang unang-una kong naattendan na training ng geotagging. Napakadali lang pala, napakasimple. Kung iisipin natin ang word na geotagging ay parang ang hirap pero sa actual ay kayang kaya pala. Napakahalaga ng application na ating natutunan para sa transparency at validation ng ating mga assisted projects natin, pero hindi lamang para sa atin kundi para din sa ating mga kliyente na gustong ma-access ang mga projects natin. Sa ating mga resource speaker, napakagaling, well-trained at they are capable of teaching. Kung ano ang kanilang tinatrabaho ay iniimpart din sa atin, simula sa geotagging hanggang sa pagpapalipad ng drone at mapping ng area ay itinuro nila,” said Jayson N. Erondo, Agriculturist II and OIC of Partnership and Accreditation Section.
A total of 21 participants attended the training.
