The Filipino Google Maps Expert
By Rico, 7:07 am Thu May 22 2008 - News - 2 Opinions
In recent years, Google Earth has become more relevant to Filipinos. The popular service compiles “satellite imagery, aerial photography and GIS 3D globe” (Wikipedia) into a seamless virtual globe that users can play around with.
Part of Google Earth’s appeal is that it allows a bird’s eye view of many places—with enough detail that users can make out landmarks, buildings, and even naked sunbathers. The service is also controversial, as exemplified by this report on terrorists using Google Earth to plan attacks.
Another problem is that the world is a big place, and while Google Earth continues to add new locations to its database, countries in the Philippines are literally left in the dark. But right now there’s a lot of Filipinos places available on Google Earth, and its people like Eugene Alvin Villar who keep track of Philippine additions to Google Earth.
The number Filipino locations open to virtual travel via Google Earth grows constantly, a concept that drives another blog Mr. Villar maintains, Vista Pinas. Thanks to him, we now know that the Philippines is home to the awesome Magat Dam (pictured above). And, we also got a sneak peek into Erap’s controversial rest “houses”.
Luis Cruz
5:05 pm Thu May 22 2008
This may have changed already in the few months since I last checked Google Maps / Google Earth, but I’d like to see roads listed actually match the satellite images.
For example, the overlayed map (those yellow lines with road names on them) places the intersection of Shaw Boulevard and EDSA more than half a kilometer away from its location in the satellite images. I’m still trying to figure out how to change that, but I haven’t had luck so far.
Eugene
12:12 am Fri May 23 2008
Luis, I think Google has sourced its street data from an public domain database. It’s grossly inaccurate and Microsoft uses the very same data for its Live Maps website. Yahoo! Maps also has street maps but it’s even worse. You can check out my analysis on my blog: http://vaes9.codedgraphic.com/posts/gmaps_adds_phil_roads