National Mapping and Resource Information Authority

The National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, commonly known as NAMRIA, is a Philippine government agency under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. It serves as the country's central mapping agency, a repository for natural-resources information, and a public provider of maps, charts, geographic data, texts, and related statistics. Its work supports public administration, environmental management, infrastructure planning, scientific research, navigation, disaster risk reduction, land-use assessment, and other activities requiring authoritative spatial information. NAMRIA's mandate is associated with DENR Administrative Order No. 31, series of 1988, which implemented the mapping and information responsibilities established under Executive Order No. 192. The agency's role is broader than the production of printed maps. It gathers, analyzes, maintains, and distributes information about the Philippine land and maritime domains, using tools that include aerial photography, satellite imagery, hydrographic surveys, geodesy, remote sensing, geographic information systems, and related information technologies. Its technical operations are organized around several principal areas. The Hydrography Branch acquires and analyzes hydrographic and oceanographic information used for navigational safety and oceanographic research. Its outputs include nautical charts, navigational warnings, and tide and current predictions. The Mapping and Geodesy Branch produces, maintains, and updates base maps that serve government, academic, scientific, and private-sector users. These maps are derived from sources such as aerial photographs and satellite imagery and provide foundational geographic information for development and planning. The Resource Data Analysis Branch conducts land-use assessment and evaluation and supports land classification. It provides remote-sensing services and environmental information relating to areas such as land use, forestry, agriculture, water resources, and coastal zones. It also undertakes research into remote sensing and geographic information system applications. The Geospatial Information System Management Branch develops and maintains geospatial and environment-and-natural-resources information systems and databases. It supports the sharing, transfer, exchange, packaging, and dissemination of data both within NAMRIA and to external users, and functions as an important channel for the agency's products and services. NAMRIA also maintains support capabilities for the infrastructure behind its information services. These include internet connectivity, data-link and server support, office computing resources, facilities, vehicles, and technical instruments. Through this combination of technical production, data stewardship, and distribution, the agency acts as a national reference point for authoritative geographic and natural-resources information rather than as a conventional commercial brand. Its principal market is the Philippines, and its users include government offices, researchers, educational institutions, private organizations, navigators, and the general public.

NAMRIA's institutional basis is tied to the Philippine government's effort to centralize national mapping and natural-resources information. DENR Administrative Order No. 31, series of 1988, provided implementation guidance for the agency's responsibilities under Section 22(a) of Executive Order No. 192. Under this framework, NAMRIA was assigned the public role of providing mapmaking services and serving as the central mapping agency, depository, and distribution facility for natural-resources information. The authority's remit encompasses both terrestrial and maritime information. Its mapping and geodesy operations produce and update base maps used as common geographic references by public agencies, educational and scientific institutions, and private organizations. The agency obtains source information from aerial photography and satellite imagery, while geodetic activities support the spatial accuracy and consistency required for national mapping. Hydrographic work gives NAMRIA a separate but related maritime function. Through the Hydrography Branch, the agency acquires and interprets hydrographic and oceanographic observations for navigational safety and oceanographic research. Nautical charts, navigational warnings, and predictions concerning tides and currents are among the outputs associated with this responsibility. The agency also applies remote sensing and geographic information systems to the assessment of land and natural resources. Its Resource Data Analysis Branch works on land-use assessment, evaluation, and classification and provides information concerning environmental conditions, forestry, agriculture, water resources, and coastal areas. Research into remote sensing and GIS applications enables the agency to support analysis beyond conventional cartographic production. As geospatial technologies developed, information management and dissemination became increasingly important to NAMRIA's work. The Geospatial Information System Management Branch was established as a functional center for maintaining databases and information systems, and for facilitating the packaging, exchange, transfer, and distribution of environmental and natural-resources information. This function allows the agency to serve both internal government users and external clients. Support operations provide the technical infrastructure required by these branches. They include maintenance of connectivity, servers, computers, facilities, vehicles, and instruments. Taken together, NAMRIA's branches form an integrated national mapping and information service: hydrography supports maritime safety; mapping and geodesy establish geographic reference materials; resource-data analysis interprets environmental and land information; and geospatial information management makes datasets available for wider use. The supplied reference material does not establish a separate commercial ownership history, stock-market status, founding individual, or current executive roster. NAMRIA is therefore best understood as an active Philippine government authority rather than a private-sector product brand.

• 1988

  Administrative framework establishes NAMRIA's mandate

  [1]National Mapping and Resource Information Authorityen.wikipedia.org

  DENR Administrative Order No. 31, series of 1988, set out implementation guidelines connected with Executive Order No. 192 and defined NAMRIA's responsibilities for public mapmaking, central mapping, and the custody and distribution of natural-resources information.

A public-sector authority and national information steward providing authoritative mapping, charting, geospatial, hydrographic, and natural-resources data for the Philippines.

• Mapping and geodesy

  Base maps and topographic mapping

  NAMRIA produces, maintains, and updates base maps that provide common geographic references for Philippine government programs, development planning, academic and scientific work, and private-sector activities. The mapping process uses source information including aerial photography and satellite imagery, with geodetic work supporting positional accuracy and consistency.

• Hydrography

  Nautical charts and hydrographic information

  The authority's hydrographic function covers the acquisition and analysis of hydrographic and oceanographic data. Its outputs include nautical charts and related maritime information intended to support navigational safety, as well as data useful for oceanographic research.

• Maritime information services

  Navigational warnings and tide information

  NAMRIA provides navigational warnings and predictions relating to tides and currents. These services translate hydrographic and oceanographic observations into operational information for maritime users and other organizations concerned with Philippine waters.

• Environmental and natural-resources information

  Remote-sensing and resource assessment

  Remote-sensing services support land-use assessment and evaluation, land classification, and analysis of environmental and natural-resources conditions. The stated areas of application include forestry, agriculture, water resources, coastal zones, and broader environmental monitoring.

• Geospatial information management

  Geospatial information systems and databases

  NAMRIA develops and maintains geospatial and environment-and-natural-resources information systems and databases. These systems support the sharing, transfer, exchange, packaging, and dissemination of data for internal government use and for external clients.

1. 1National Mapping and Resource Information Authorityen.wikipedia.org
2. 2National Mapping and Resource Information Authority official websitenamria.gov.ph