MANILA — Environment Secretary Ramon Paje has ordered concerned agencies in his department to adopt a standard reference for all surveying and mapping activities starting this year.

Paje issued the directive in consonance with Executive Order No. 321 issued in 2004 which sets the year 2010 as the deadline for the integration of old surveys in the Philippine Reference System of 1992 (PRS92) system.

“PRS92 is based on the World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS84) which makes use of the Global Positioning System. This is now the trend worldwide and its adoption here in the Philippines will definitely put us not only at par with global standards but will also allow for greater efficiency in our land administration program,” he said.

According to Paje, the maps that will generated under the new system will be compatible with global coordinates obtained from GPS and with other coordinate systems adopted in many parts of the world.

“PRS92 will facilitate the efficient integration and conversion of old surveys and maps into the network for the sustainable management and development of the country’s natural resources and to establish more accurate spatial positioning for infrastructure and in the establishment of political boundaries of provinces and towns.”

Paje said the new standard can also be used by agencies such as the Departments of Public Works and Highways, Agrarian Reforms, Agriculture, National Irrigation Authority, the academe, government and private surveyors.

Prior to PRS92, the country uses the old national geodetic network called the Philippine Geodetic Network, which was established by the United States Coast Guard and Geodetic Survey in 1901 to 1946.