The Geomatics Student Project Colloquium (GSPC) 2025 successfully took place on April 26, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, at the Engineering Theater and Maynilad Room of the UP College of Engineering. Organized by the Undergraduate Student Affairs Committee of the Department of Geodetic Engineering (UP DGE), the event provided a dedicated venue for students to present and reflect on their semester-long outputs from various major courses, including Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, Digital Photogrammetry, and Land Administration.

More than a showcase of academic work, GSPC promotes a culture of research, reflection, and responsible geospatial practice. It encourages students to communicate their work effectively, engage in critical discussions, and demonstrate how geomatics can provide solutions to real-world issues. Through oral and poster sessions, students gained valuable feedback from faculty and peers while also learning to articulate the societal relevance of their projects.

The Oral Session, held in the morning at the Engineering Theater, featured nine student capstone projects selected from 18 submissions. Each project was evaluated based on its problem relevance, technical methodology, and innovation. In the afternoon, the Poster Sessions at the Maynilad Room displayed a mix of three ongoing undergraduate theses and six cartographic visualizations from GE 30 (Digital Cartography), showcasing both analytical depth and creative geospatial storytelling.

Top student works were recognized in the awarding ceremony that followed, with judges from UP DGE and the Training Center for Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry (TCAGP) selecting winners across the oral, thesis, and map poster categories. These projects tackled a wide range of current issues—including urban development, traffic monitoring, land use planning, environmental management, and socio-economic mapping—aligning with broader goals of sustainability, equity, and public service. Many of the themes explored by students directly supported the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting the relevance of geomatics in addressing national and global challenges.

In the Oral Session, first place was awarded to GIS-Based Suitability Analysis of Landfill Sites in Davao City (Gerome Kevin T. Argao, Vinz Adrian O. Crisostomo, Van Ulrich G. Delos Santos – Adviser: Assoc. Prof. Alexis Richard C. Claridades, PhD). Second place went to Dasymetric Mapping of Population Using Urban Settlement-Focused LULC Classification Through Random Forest Classification Versus Object-Based Image Classification (Ynah Andrea D. Sunga, Althea Marie B. Capucion, Gabriel Drew S. Palma, Julia Clarice Uy – Adviser: Asst. Prof. Jennieveive B. Babaan-Mabaquiao). Third place was awarded to Traffic Volume Analysis in Commonwealth Avenue Using Vehicle Detection and Tracking in Video Data (Shane Heart P. Dreo, Edgar S. Dumalaog, Christopher John C. Sumilang – Adviser: Asst. Prof. Ma. Rosario Concepcion O. Ang).

For the Map Poster category, first place was awarded to 2021 Illegal Drug Related Crime Rate and Annual Household Income per Region in the Philippines (Cyrene Jade S. Longalong, Vic Exequiel M. Maristela, Jannah Rose S. Mapalo – Adviser: Asst. Prof. Jennieveive B. Babaan-Mabaquiao). Second place went to 2021 Provincial Birth Rate and Total Annual Income in the Philippines (Blessy P. Balunon, Misha Rae Neina L. Ganceña, Ivan Paul P. Zulueta – Adviser: Assoc. Prof. Alexis Richard C. Claridades, PhD), and third place to Petsa de Peligro: Regional Average Employment and Inflation Rate in the Philippines, 2019–2021 (Linday R. Gutierrez, Chelzy L. Ikan, John Austin S. Macaraeg – Adviser: Engr. Jommer M. Medina). The People’s Choice Award was given to All the Bright Places: Sources of Light in U.P. Diliman Science Complex (Jovelyn U. Bernabe, Zyna E. Isla, Maya-Laya P. Panti – Adviser: Assoc. Prof. Alexis Richard C. Claridades, PhD).

In the Thesis Poster category, the Best Thesis Poster award went to Marine Plastic Litter Accumulations in Particle Tracking Models and Remote Sensing in Manila Bay Pasig River Outfall (Fredrik Angelo F. Francisco, Erlyn Kaye P. Mortega – Adviser: Assoc. Prof. Ayin M. Tamondong, PhD).

The event gathered 90 participants, including undergraduate students, faculty members, and alumni. For many of the students, this was their first experience presenting in an academic forum, making the event a valuable learning opportunity in both communication and professional preparation. GSPC also fostered a supportive space for peer learning, collaboration, and critical engagement.

The UP DGE extends its heartfelt thanks to this year’s sponsors: UP Geomatics Alumni Association, Inc., Tila & Dealca Consulting Co., Engr. Anjillyn Mae C. Perez, Engr. Brent Niko Dargantes, Asst. Prof. Margaux Angelica A. Cruz, and Asst. Prof. Hanna Mae G. Garcia for their continued support of student initiatives.

As the department continues to champion student-led innovation and geospatial impact, it looks forward to GSPC 2026, where another generation of emerging scholars will present bold ideas and research that respond to the needs of society.