OpenStreetMap Philippines Inc.
OpenStreetMap Philippines Inc. is a non-profit membership-based organization that aims to promote OpenStreetMap in the Philippines, and to support the activities of the Philippine OpenStreetMap community and that of the OpenStreetMap Foundation. The organization is also planned to be the Philippine local chapter of the Foundation in the future. As a legal entity, OpenStreetMap Philippines Inc. can enter into formal agreements or contracts with government agencies, educational institutions, companies, and other NGOs that no individual community member can easily do on his own.
Discussions for starting a non-profit organization started in early 2009 and the incorporation process itself was kicked into high gear in early 2010. On May 28, 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued the Certificate of Incorporation of OpenStreetMap Philippines Inc.
Notes and discussions
Why form a local OSM-PH organization?
The community needs a formal and legal membership-based organization to be able to engage with other organizations and entities, such as government units and agencies, NGOs, educational institutions, and the media, in promoting and supporting OpenStreetMap activities in the Philippines.
A formal and legal entity will allow the community to be represented, instead of just the individuals and it has other perks like accepting donations, being recognized by LGUs, making press releases, and well basically being a professional formal organizations with a set of defined rules and regulations, officers, board members, etc.
Goals of the local chapter
- promotion and interaction with other local organizations (NGOs, LGUs, media)
- provide technical or logistical support to the members of the community
- negotiate with other data providers for data import and integration
- assist other institutions in using OSM-PH data
- accept donations in behalf of the OSM-PH community
Who can become a member?
Anyone can join. Being an OpenStreetMap contributor is not a requirement for joining the organization. As long as the person is interested in free and open maps and geographical data, he is free to join the organization.
In addition, membership in the organization will never be a requirement for contributing to OpenStreetMap. Nobody should be forced to join the organization in order to contribute to OSM or to use OSM data.
How can individual mappers benefit from joining this organization?
Benefits can be:
- invitation, participation in local press/media events
- official membership with ID
- represent OSM Philippines officially wherever you go.
- be on the receiving end of donations or items that the org purchases to further its mapping capabilities. Like receive a GPS unit or stipend from the Org if you are going on a mapping trip for example.
- have a say in all things regarding the org, like a vote or something in important decisions.
Question: How does one join the foundation as a member? Thanks. Mark Cupitt
What the org is not
The organization will not be a governance structure for taking charge of OSM data for the Philippines. The data solely belongs to the international OSM community and local people do not have to be an member of the organization in order to use the OSM data.
The organization will not handle data disputes or arbitrate on such matters. The community will be the one to handle it.
The organization is not a licensor of the data. People who want to use OSM data should follow the OpenStreetMap License and cannot ask the organization for special licenses or exemptions to use the OSM data.
Incorporation and SEC registration
The incorporation of OpenStreetMap Philippines Inc. is now done and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recognized the organization and given its registration on May 28, 2010.
The incorporators and initial officers are:
- Ronny Ager-Wick
- Rally de Leon (Rally)
- Andre Marcelo-Tanner (kzap) (Secretary/Treasurer)
- Maning Sambale (maning) (Vice-president)
- Eugene Alvin Villar (seav) (President)
Timeline
2009
- February 7 - The idea of putting up a non-profit organization for OpenStreetMap activities in the Philippines was first seriously discussed during the first OSM-PH Meet-up at Grappa's in Greenbelt 3.
2010
- March 20 - The Articles of Incorporation and By-laws were signed by the Philippine-based incorporators during the Marikina Mapping Party.
- May 28 - The SEC issued the Certificate of Incorporation of the organization.
- June 10 - The incorporation papers were obtained from the SEC.
Other pages
- User:Maning/osmph local notes - maning's notes on the org
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