As we started CWTS++, we were given a task to map our own neighbourhood by the end of our first semester. All of us were from different places, which can be a benefit to Open Street Map on having valid data from us mappers.

I started mapping around my neighbourhood during the time where Mapillary and Open Street Cam were introduced to us. Before I used these applications, I had my time used by remembering the features around my own neighbourhood. I started asking my parents and other relatives if they’re familiar with the streets and houses because all of us where staying at one place for a very long time.

The tools I used for the entire mapping that I’ve done were Mapillary and Field Papers because with these two, you can easily map everywhere you go with these helpful and time consuming methods. The first thing that I used was Field Papers. We were taught how to use it and by the end of that day, I have my own printed layout of our own neighbourhood. During my vacant time, I often go around our neighbourhood to add details which Open Street Map still doesn’t have. As I write down the details, I also look into the imagery that I can see from what the Field Papers has. Some of the buildings where unseen due to changes of the community. Next application that I used was the Mapillary. From all of the tools that were introduced to us, I find this as my favourite weapon during mapping. I find it very clear and accurate when it comes to its features and it’s really useful especially to maps.

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September 20, 2018. Another day for us mappers to help the world.

It’s our 8th session this time in PUP San Juan. From the beginning, we have accomplished so many things. But most of it was today, our chance to help in the Ompongph Mapping.

As we start today, we had a little problem with our equipment to be used. We finalized it first before we start. While waiting for the group assigned, our mentor which is Sir Erwin Olario, mentioned the Mapathon that will be held this coming Sunday. It will be about the mapping in some afffected areas made by the Typhoon Ompong in the Philippines. Some of us can be able to go but some are not.

Our objective for this session was to help in mapping the affected areas from the Typhoon Ompong. Little we know, it will be a “Typhoon Ompong PUPSJ Mini-mapathon” for today. So far, this is our first mini-mapathon because it is really urgent this time. We have 3 tasks to do from the HotOSM and we must all be able to map and validate some works. Our class was divided into two. The other half were the ones who needed to accomplish some missed tasks from the last session, while the other one were the ones who will help on the mapping from HotOSM. I was part of the second half who will just map on some affected areas in the Philippines.

As we work on HotOSM, I can see that Typhoon Ompong really hit a large area in the Northern part of the Philippines. There were large tasks to do and we needed them to split for other mappers can help us at the same time. I worked along Cagayan where buildings are needed. As a mapper this time, we used JOSM as our editor for this task. I’m not really used to JOSM but as needed, I explored it a lot this time to make my mapping session productive. I mapped some buildings on the selected task and I can really say that JOSM is more helpful and fast at the same time unlike any other editors we can use. The buildings I added were many but I didn’t accomplished the whole task because of the limited time we have.

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As a mapper who travels everyday and brings a field paper with them, I’ve seen many points and roads that I often go at. One of the familiar areas that I have been through was my community, our baranggay.

As I grew up here, many buildings have started to develop and add in our baranggay. Before, we didn’t have a water pumping station, but now it is one of the projects that we are all proud of for its benefits and uses for the people. Now, we have a covered court that was established for 5 years and it really seem so good. It’s fun to see different people gathering for a game. Back to the days, we only have a few stores around our baranggay. Our baranggay is very small. You can even go around for a few minutes just to see all of it.

But now, we almost have 15 “sari-sari” stores all over our baranggay, and I’m proud of that. You can see that people can access anything they need, just going in any stores in our baranggay. This can be seem too many because our baranggay is smaller than any other baranggay in San Juan City.

We have a few services around our place and they are very convenient for us. You can enjoy and explore the small community we have who got all of your needs. We also got optical clinics, dental clinics and salons, but out of those, we got 15 “sari-sari” stores you can more lean on. :-)