THE GEOGRAPHY FIELD SCHOOL (GFS)

The Geography Field School (GFS) is the Department’s flagship public service program. It aligns with the priorities of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy and the University of the Phililippines to advance engaged scholarship. It began in 1995 as a course-based extension program of the Department of Geography of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. Through field partnerships with local government units, NGOs, and people’s organizations, the GFS has produced ecological profiles, resource maps, and community development studies across more than 70 sites nationwide.

The GFS is a required midyear field course for all BS Geography students. It provides hands-on training in applying classroom theories and skills to real-world contexts. Through partnerships with local government units, non-government organizations and community-based organizations, faculty members and students help address local needs while gaining practical experience in field research, mapping, and community engagement.

Past field work outputs include:

  • Asset-based livelihood and economic profiling
  • Campus and institutional spatial profiling
  • Community-based Monitoring System (CBMS)
  • Community-based profiling
  • Community resource inventory and management planning (Community Resource Management Framework Pla/ CRMFP)
  • Disaster risk, vulnerability, and impact assessment
  • Ecological Profile (EP, formerly Physical and Socio-Economic Profile/ PSEP)
  • Ecotourism evaluation
  • Environmental impact and social impact assessment
  • Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) capacity-building and training
  • Hazard mapping and multi-hazard atlas development
  • Historical and cultural geography studies
  • Land use and spatial development planning (Comprehensive Land Use Planning/ CLUP)
  • Minimum Basic Needs (MBN) Profile
  • Participatory mapping and citizen science (including Participatory 3D Mapping- and OpenStreetMap-based work)
  • Public space, mobility, and accessibility studies
  • Tourism, ecotourism, and recreation assessment
  • Watershed, coastal, and natural resource systems studies

AWARDS

The Geography Field School has received the following recognitions:

FIELD SCHOOL SITES

Please wait for the map to be populated. Click the yellow marker to view a picture of the field class site, the type of output, and the year it was accomplished. Please click here to view a static map of the field sites.

2021 – 2025

> Impact Assessment of the Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC) Project and Digital Capacity Assessment in Pasig City, Pateros (Metro Manila) and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan / Catholic Relief Services (CRS) (2022)

> Updating of Ecological Profile and Participatory Mapping in Libmanan, Camarines Sur (2023)

> Formulation of Ecological Profile and P3DM for DRRM in San Remigio, Antique (2024)

> National Capital Region Climate and Disaster Risk Atlas (NCDRA) with DHSUD-NCR (2024)

> Community-Based DRRM and Development Planning in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City (2024)

> Updating of Ecological Profile in Carigara, Leyte (2025)

> Updating of Ecological Profile with Kobo and P3DM Training of Trainors in Caluya, Antique (2025)

> Community mapping for local development in Barangay UP Campus, Quezon City (2025)

2016 – 2020

> Digitization of building footprints using GeoMapperPH, creation of an instruction manual of the Exposure Database Module (EDM) survey process using GeoMapperPH, assessment and evaluation of the EDM survey process using GeoMapperPH and Google Street View for Brgy. Muzon and Brgy. Graceville (San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan), Brgy. 14 and Brgy. 35 (Caloocan City), Brgy. Rosario and Brgy. Palatiw (Pasig City), Brgy. Santo Rosario-Kanluran and Brgy. Martires del 96 (Pateros), and Brgy. 128 and Brgy. 105 (Tondo, Manila) (2020)

> Watershed Education for the Younger Generation: Educating Highschool Students on the Basics of Watershed through P3DM for Rizal, Palawan (2019)

> Watershed Education for the Younger Generation: Educating Highschool Students on the Basics of Watershed through P3DM for Gen Santos, Cotabato (2019)

> Solid Waste Management of Academic Units in UP Diliman through Knowledge-Attitudes-Practices of Building Custodians for UP Diliman, Quezon City (2019)

> Ecological Profile for Bacacay, Albay (2018)

> Mapping municipal structures/buildings in Taytay, Cainta, and Angono using OpenStreetMap (OSM) for Rizal (2018)

> Disaster Risk Assessment of Brgy. Tatalon, Quezon City for Brgy. Tatalon, Quezon City (2018)

> Ecological Profile and Map Book for Tiwi, Albay (2017)

> Venice of the Philippines: Urban Life in Artex Compound, Malabon City for Malabon City, Metro Manila (2017)

> Perception on Tullahan River and its Flooding for Tullahan River, Metro Manila (2017)

> Exploring the moving informal economy: A study on mobile vendors in Cubao and their action spaces for Cubao, Quezon City (2017)

> Moving forward from Disability: Perceptions on Mobility and relative accessibility of PWDs of selected barangays in District 3, Quezon City for District 3, Quezon City (2017)

> Geographies of Assemblages and Multiscapes of Manila for Manila, Metro Manila (2016)

2011 – 2015

> Participatory 3-Dimensional Mapping for Paracale (Brgys. Labnig and Dalnac) and Basud (Brgys. Taba-taba and San Felipe), Camarines Norte (2015)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Bokod, Benguet (2014)

> Risk and Vulnerability Assessment: The Case of Four Barangays in Sibalom, Antique (Relative Vulnerability Index) for Sibalom, Antique (2014)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Candelaria, Quezon (2013)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Ligao, Albay (2013)

> Formulation of the Sustainable Livelihood Profile of the Kalbario-Patapat National Park for Ilocos Norte (2013)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Pilar, Capiz (2012)

> Proposed Land Use Plan of Sitio Sapinit, San Juan, Antipolo City for Antipolo City (2012)

> Coastal Resources and Fisheries Profile: Agta Dumagat Community in Barangay San Marcelino, General Nakar, Quezon for Gen. Nakar, Quezon (2012)

> Ecological Profile for Tabaco, Albay (2011)

> Social Vulnerability Assessment of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija for San Jose, Nueva Ecija (2011)

2006 – 2010

> Assessing Agusan Marsh as an Ecotourism Destination for Agusan Marsh, Agusan Del Sur (2010)

> Asset-Based Livelihood Profile for General Nakar, Quezon (2010)

> Community-Based Monitoring System for Calbayog, Samar (2010)

> Profile of UP Campus for UP Diliman, Quezon City (2010)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Pakil, Laguna (2009)

> Community Resource Inventory for Brgy. Kinakin, Ifugao (2009)

> Assessing Agusan Marsh as an Ecotourism Destination for Agusan Marsh, Agusan Del Sur (2009)

> Community Resource Management Framework Plan for Brgy. Calawis, Antipolo (2009)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile; Social Impact Assessment of the Engineered Sanitary Landfill in Morong, Rizal for Morong, Rizal (2008)

> Economic Geography and Indigenous Geography of B’laans in Tampakan, South Cotabato for Tampakan, South Cotabato (2008)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Gen. Luna, Siargao (2008)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Bataraza, Palawan (2007)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Dinagat Islands (2007)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Palaui Island, Cagayan (2007)

> Ethno-Geography of Sitio Salnaong, Barangay Datal Blao, Columbio, Sultan Kudarat for Columbio, Sultan Kudarat (2007)

> Campus Atlas of UP Diliman, Quezon City for UP Diliman, Quezon City (2007)

> Risk and Hazard Assessment for Mabini, Batangas (2006)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Manaoag, Pangasinan (2006)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Lavezares, Northern Samar (2006)

2001 – 2005

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile (Municipalities of Baler, Ma. Aurora, & San Luis) for Aurora (2005)

> Minimum Basic Needs Assessment for Iniwaran, Masbate (2005)

> Ecological Profile of San Juan River, Tanauan, Batangas for Tanauan, Batangas (2004)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile (Municipalities of Pan-ay, Dumarao, Sigma, & President Roxas) for Capiz (2003)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Sto. Domingo, Albay (2002)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Malilipot, Albay (2002)

> Comprehensive Land Use Plan for Lucban, Quezon (2001)

1996 – 2000

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Tabaco, Albay (2000)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Pontevedra, Negros Occidental (1999)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Hamtic, Antique (1998)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for San Jose de Buenavista, Antique (1997)

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Sibalom, Antique (1996)

1995 – Birth of Geography Field School

> Physical and Socio-Economic Profile for Jordan, Guimaras (1995)