Visayas State University

College of Engineering
Department of Geodetic Engineering
VSU, Baybay City 6521, Leyte, Philippines
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Vision: A globally competitive university in science, technology and environmental

conservation.

Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge

scientific knowledge and innovative technologies for sustainable

communities and environment

A Narrative Report on the GESC 2019

Prepared by: Ma. Emmaliza S. Orillano

Submitted to: Engr. Eulalio C. Colubio Jr.

I. INTRODUCTION

The 4th year Geodetic Engineering (GE) students of Visayas State University

(VSU) participated the annual Geodetic Engineering Student Conference (GESC) last

April 8-9, 2019 in University of the Philippines Diliman campus. This year’s theme

was VANTAGE, foresighting greater paths through geodetic Engineering. The event

was participated by 13 universities throughout the country.

GESC encourage students to be more inclined in research by allowing

students to present their studies. Companies were invited to talk about their

projects, instruments and works done. Moreover, there was department talk which

gives more information about the latest trend in geodetic engineering. Quiz bee was

also organized to showcase knowledge of students in the field of geodetic

engineering.

II. KNOWLEDGE ACQUIRED

The event started with registration 7’oclock in the morning of April 8, 2019

followed by introduction of participating universities.

On the first day, the morning session started with the company talks from AB

Surveying and Development, Cobena Business Analytics & Strategy Inc., and Siccion

Marketing Inc. During the afternoon activity, 3 schools participated in the Research

Presentation session and participants presented their undergraduate research and

projects to the GE student community. During the second day in morning session it

started with talks on academe, research and government.

 First day, the 1st speaker is from AB Surveying and Development discussed about

the LIDAR advantage. I have already a little bit knowledge about its advantages and

what is LIDAR because it was already introduced and discussed with our instructors.

LIDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging,  is a remote sensing method that uses

light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges to the Earth. A LIDAR instrument

principally consists of a laser, a scanner, and a specialized GPS receiver. Airplanes and

helicopters are the most commonly used platforms for acquiring LIDAR data over

broad areas. Lidar, which can also be referred to as LiDAR, LADAR, airborne laser

altimetry, or airborne laser swath mapping, is a widespread and common data layer

for a wide variety of applications. Topographic lidar data are typically gathered from

airplanes and have benefited from recent advancements in GPS and IMU technology.

The technique can provide a dense suite of highly accurate elevation measurements

over a large area. While lidar cannot penetrate through trees, the point coverage is

dense enough to allow for ample ground measurement through small holes in the

canopy in most forested environments. Many of the traditional elevation applications

benefit from this increased accuracy and coverage, and new applications are being

made possible because of the rich data density and high quality.
Figure 1. Engr. Lyka from ABSD discussed about the LIDAR capabilities

Figure 2. An instrument used by LIDAR worth 30 million

 The next company presented is from Cobena Business Analytics & Strategy Inc,

which in the field of Geodetic Engineering creates data work on sciences to transform

it into a useful strategy in transportation, data visualization, governance, and

agriculture. They uses the field of geomatics data science that gathers spatial data so

that it can create decision making. Cobena helps organizations thrive in the age of big

data through their expertise and data science tools that help understand the current

data in the field of Geodetic Engineering.

Figure 3. An Engineer representative from Cobena company

The next company is Siccion Marketing Inc, it was Established in 1965 as Siccion

Surveying Equipment Manufacturing, Guided by its founder Engineer Cayetano B.

Siccion, with the help of his pharmacist-wife Belen C. Siccion. This humble enterprise

pioneered in the manufacture’s of surveyors’ steel tapes, umbrellas, wooden tripods,

leveling rods and steel range poles in the Philippines. During the conference they
were able to introduced instruments available in their company and discussed the

Role of Geodetic Engineering in Economics. In addition to manufacturing its own

surveying instruments, the company later distributed imported brands of surveying,

engineering, drafting, hydrological and meteorological instruments. Although the firm

originally catered to the needs of civil and geodetic engineering practitioners and

students, it has added various items to its product line to service a wider range of

market and various materials testing instruments and supplies.

Figure 4. Instruments manufactured by Siccion

The afternoon activity was the presentation of their studies. The first

presenters came from University of Northern Philippines. Their research was about

the Establishment of Barangay Boundary Monument of Sitio Domingo, Ilocos Sur. The

boundaries of their barangays were not properly delineated, so as a Geodetic

Engineering Student they made a solution according to the law which is DMC 2010-13

to establish a barangay boundary monument. They conducted their study as a whole

 class aiming to finish it within this May 2019 in order the people in their community

will be able to know their boundaries and to avoid disputes and conflicts.

A mojon means something to me as a geodetic engineering student because it

symbolizes the traditional mode of work in my engineering industry of choice. It holds

the location or coordinates that will allow land surveys to be made more accurate

around the vicinity of the place. Usually, it’s the old people who know what it is.

Often, I find myself having to explain to some people that it is necessary for

traditional survey work. In English, it’s called the concrete monument which is

established and distributed as a network of points for accurately marking locations on

the surface of the earth. Since their study is about Barangay Boundary Monument

(hence the BBM acronym inscription), it is quite crucial and useful.

Figure 5. Presentor from UNP

The next presenter is about Remote Sensing Image based analysis impact of land use

and land cover changes on land surface temperature. Fast transformation of land use/land

cover because of urban expansion profoundly influences biodiversity and ecosystem

function, as well as local and regional climate. One of the more serious impacts

of urbanization is the formation of urban heat island (UHI) effect. They processed LANDSAT

image and were able to get a data from 2003-2017. The result allows them to analyze that

there is an increasing trend rate of infrastructures while the forestland was already

decreasing. Also, there is an increase of temperature from 2003-2017. This is due to the rapid

urban growth in Tugegarao and has brought about fast transformation of Land Use/ Land

cover pattern which in turn significantly affect the Land Surface Temperature.

The last presenter was from the Visayas State University, Mr. Feljun Sagliba. The

study was about Graphical User Interface made from Phyton. His study programed a

conversion of coordinate system vice versa. It includes WGS84-PRS92 vice versa, ECEF-UTM

coordinates vice versa. He also programed through the use of Phyton the Solar Observation

Computation and it was a great study because as a Geodetic Engineering student it will help

a lot to refrain from lots of computation, reduces our work in the field of computation and to

conserve time.
 Figure 6. Team VSU

The last part of Day 1 was the social night with the other students from different

schools.

Figure 7. Dinner during Social Night

 Figure 8. Geodetic Engineering Students

Day 2 morning session started with Dr. Ariel C. Blanco talked about the: Environment

Application of Geomatics. He discussed about environment application of geomatics

engineering, the study focused on mangroove plantation rehabilatation based from his

research project using LiDAR technology. The next speaker is Engr. Loiue P. Balicanta talked

about: Surveying. Talks about on how Surveying improve this 21 st century. Example, laser

scanning is not only used in land surveying but is being adopted in more and more

industries, since it gives detailed, accurate data, very quickly, and with fewer manpower

requirements, saving companies costs. Surveyors play an integral role in land development,

from the planning and design of land subdivisions through to the final construction of roads,

utilities and landscaping. Surveyors are the first people on any construction site, measuring

and mapping the land. These primary measurements are then used by architects to

understand and make the most of the unique landscape when designing and engineers to

plan structures accurately and safely, ensuring buildings not only fit with the landscape but

are able to be constructed. Next presenter was from government namely Engr. Santos from

NAMRIA (National Mapping and Resource Information Authority) and assigned in the
Hydrography section which involves in measuring physical features of bodies of water and

to provide nautical charts. Lastly, Engr. De la Cruz was from the DOST. He discussed the roles

of GE in Research and Development.

In the afternoon, GESC Quiz Show with 13 teams from each participating school.

Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation placed 3rd, Visayas State University placed 2nd,

and USL Tuguegarao as the GESC 2019 Quiz Show winner.

III. Recommendation/Conclusion

It was a great experience to attend the Geodetic Engineering Student Conference 2019.

It was full of learnings and knowledge more in the field of Geodetic Engineering. I also

appreciate the Remote Sensing part because it was actually an advance learning for us.

GESC was able to encourage students to be more inclined in research and the students

present their studies. Companies were a great help for future choice field of work to talk

about their projects, instruments and works done. The department talk gives more

information about the latest trend in geodetic engineering.