13/06/2026
๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ก๐๐ช๐ฆ | ๐ฉ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ต๐ผ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต
Viscan YouthMappers (VYM) relaunched Project MAPAGUAPA on June 10, reviving an improved digital mapping platform that helps Viscans navigate and discover housing options within and near Visayas State University.
MAPAGUAPAโderived from the nearby barangays of Marcos, Pangasugan, Guadalupe, and Patagโallows users to browse boarding houses, dormitories, apartments, and cottages, along with information on price ranges, room availability, resident preferences, and other services.
Originally launched in 2023, the initiative was developed in collaboration with the 2022 thesis prototype of former VYM member Engr. Robeth Kathleen Datoy. The website was later discontinued due to maintenance limitations, prompting the organization to revisit the project and develop an improved platform using the same methodology. The team continues to utilize KoboCollect and KoboToolbox for field data collection and server management.
In an interview with Amaranth, Project MAPAGUAPA proponent Benson Clark Dagalea said the initiative was revived after the original website ceased operations following the completion of the thesis.
โSince it was discontinued and wasnโt maintained after the thesis compliance, there was already a consideration last year to bring back MAPAGUAPA, and it was really planned na for good na siya,โ Dagalea said.
He added that the goal is โnot just to revive the old website, but to create a new and improved one.โ
According to Dagalea, the redevelopment process consisted of two phases: data collection and validation, followed by web development. He said most setbacks occurred during the first phase, particularly due to financial constraints affecting on-site mapping activities, which remain among the team's primary challenges.
Dagalea also expressed hope that the platform would reach more students, especially incoming freshmen in the upcoming academic year.
In a separate interview, project website developer Christian Boyles highlighted the need for long-term sustainability by integrating Project MAPAGUAPA into the universityโs official domain and server system.
โAng current man gud is running in a free domain and ang database is free ra pud so always need bantayan,โ Boyles said.
Despite resource and maintenance limitations, the team remains committed to improving the platform and providing updated, reliable accommodation information for Viscans.
As the only YouthMappers chapter in Asia to receive the 2024 YouthMappers Community Outreach Award, VYM, which also received the Women's Participation Award, continues to utilize mapping technologies to enhance community accessibility..
Project MAPAGUAPA can be accessed here: https://mapaguapa.vercel.app
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via Jazvenne Niรฑa Onde | Amaranth
Photo Courtesy of Viscan YouthMappers
๐๐ณ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ถ๐ฎ: ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ค๐ข๐ฑ๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ด ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฏ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ท๐ช๐ด๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ค๐ต ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ญ๐ข๐ณ๐ช๐ง๐บ ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ต๐ข๐ช๐ญ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ข๐ค๐ต๐ถ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ค๐ค๐ถ๐ณ๐ข๐ค๐บ. ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฅ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ง๐ญ๐ฆ๐ค๐ต๐ด ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ง๐ช๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ช๐ฏ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต ๐ข๐ญ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฐ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ค๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐น๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ต.