TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The province of Kalinga hosted the 36th Annual Regional Convention of geodetic engineers in the Cordillera Region from February 28 to March 1 at the M Hotel with the theme “GOLDEN LEGACY OF GEODETIC ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE: Revisiting the Past, Aligning the Present, Scaling our Aspirations.”
The regional convention attended by all the provinces also coincided with the 50th Golden Anniversary celebration of the Geodetic Engineer as a Profession.
Mayor Darwin C. Estrañero welcomed the delegates and in addition, he underlined the value of geodetic engineers and their part in community development.
According to him, the event’s theme is strongly connected to Tabuk City’s main development goal, which focuses on innovation, progress, and sustainability, demonstrating that our communities are constructed for sustainability and resilience.
The city chief executive stated that without geodetic engineers, landowners cannot accurately determine their limits without thorough surveys.
Meanwhile, Kalinga’s Lone District Representative Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang, citing the account of Juan Caluyas, a geodetic pioneer in the Cordillera who utilized his knowledge to gain ancestral land titles, stated that the history was linked to the story of the indigenous governance and ritual system. He is of the belief that indigenous knowledge is indeed a pillar of national land policy.
“This is your legacy, a profession born not just of science, but also of sovereignty, unity, and reverence for the land,” Mangaoang further stated.
The officers of the Philippine Geodetic Engineers Association were all present, and they expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and support of their members in the province. By Ian Jefrey Addatu & Vaux Priam De Guzman
