From May 9-11, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff’s ECAN Monitoring and Evaluation Division (EMED) and District Management Office (DMO) North participated in the Satellite Data Processing Training Session (SDPTS) for the SIKAP+ project, organized by the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA).
The purpose of the project is to advance space infrastructure, knowledge, and applications through training and cooperation. The training was supported by a grant from the Trans-Eurasia Information Network Programme of the Asi@connect Project, which is funded by the European Union.
Held at Joy Nostalg Hotel and Suites, in Ortigas Center, Manila, this three-day training featured technical presentations and practical exercises focused on Earth observation datasets, resources, and remote sensing techniques. It also emphasized the applications of remote sensing in various areas, including Land Use/Cover Mapping, Burned Area Mapping, Drought Monitoring, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, and Marine and Coastal Ecosystems.
The utilization of remote sensing and satellite data processing holds significant potential for enhancing PCSDS’s environmental monitoring and evaluation function. This approach enables the acquisition of up-to-date, data-driven insights with wider coverage, particularly in remote and inaccessible regions of Palawan. By leveraging satellite images through remote sensing technologies, PCSDS can gather timely and accurate information on deforestation, marine ecosystems, environmental conditions, land use patterns, climate change impacts, and other relevant parameters.
The information derived from this data also plays a vital role in assessing and quantifying Palawan’s natural resources and services allowing for monitoring of hard-to-reach areas and enabling evaluations of the condition and value of Palawan’s natural assets. This, in turn, supports informed decision-making processes for sustainable development initiatives in the province.
