MAP BEKS conducts mapping party in partnership with the UP Diliman Department of Geography

By: Mikko Tamura

MAP BEKS, an online community of digital volunteers advocating for LGBTQIA+ representation and diversity on OpenStreetMap (OSM), conducted a mapping party in partnership with UP Diliman Department of Geography last January 11, 2020. The Department also hosted the 2020 OSM Year Starter where amateur and expert open data mapping advocates talked about proposed plans in preparation for the "Pista ng Mapa 2020". Discussions arose regarding establishing a map-py organization in the Philippines that would support open and free GIS data and software.

 Mr. Mikko Tamura talking about the crowdsourcing initiative of MAP BEKS.

MAP BEKS volunteers and supporters.

The group collected data from various online and crowdsourced information and collated it into an open-database accessible for anyone who needs it. More than 600 health clinics, offices, and hospitals were identified which still needs information on schedules, which tests are available, or whether they are PhilHealth accredited, etc.                                          

Sample of a mapped facility in the database.

The LGBTQIA+/HIV facilities mapathon was attended by 20 participants. Representatives from the academe, humanitarian NGOs, private companies, and LGBTQIA+ advocates participated as they were taught how to research, contribute, and map information using the platform. A total of 82 facilities were added to the map and 62 updates were made to the database.

You may access their resources through:

LGBTQIA+ spaces contribution survey - http://tinyurl.com/lgbtqph

HIV Facilities database - http://tinyurl.com/mapbekshivtesting

LGBTQIA+ map - http://tinyurl.com/mapbekshivmap 

To know more how you can contribute and be part of MapBeks, just visit their totally “beki” Facebook page at: http://facebook.com/mapbeks or email them at mapbeks@gmail.com.