Join Barangay Attributes

The Join Barangay Attributes tool performs enhanced spatial-attribute matching between city/municipality vector layers and official Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC) reference tables. It embeds the official PSGC reference dataset (references/PSGC Q4.xlsx) directly into the processing algorithm, eliminating the need to manually supply a reference table, and features multi-stage fuzzy matching, Roman-to-Arabic numeral normalization, and automated error diagnostics.

Access

• Processing Toolbox: GMD Pipeline → 1Map → Join Barangay Attributes
• Algorithm ID: gmd_pipeline:join_barangay_attributes

When to Use

Use this tool when:

• Barangay names in digitized vector layers contain spelling variations, typos, or abbreviation discrepancies
• Layer feature attributes use Roman numerals (e.g., Poblacion III) while reference tables use Arabic numbers (Poblacion 3), or vice versa
• You need a streamlined output layer retaining only the source name, the resolved PSGC name, and actionable error audit diagnostics
• You are running single or batch processing workflows where automatic scratch memory output layers are preferred
• You want an automated join workflow without having to manually select or load the official PSGC reference table

Parameters

Inputs

Parameter	Type	Description
city/mun	Feature Source (Polygon / Any Geometry)	Input city/municipality vector layer containing barangay boundary features
field	Field (String)	Attribute field in the input layer containing local barangay names

Outputs

Output	Type	Description
Matched Barangays	Feature Sink (Matching Input Geometry)	Output vector layer retaining original geometry, the source field (title-cased), the resolved standard name, and audit diagnostics
Filtered PSGC Table	Feature Sink (No Geometry)	Non-spatial attribute table containing all official PSGC reference records filtered for the target city/municipality

How It Works

1. Embedded PSGC Reference Resolution:

   • Automatically loads and parses the built-in official PSGC reference dataset from references/PSGC Q4.xlsx via native OGR and Python readers.
   • Extracts the 5-digit LGU code prefix (province_code + city_mun_code or geocode prefix) from the input layer name or attributes, filtering only the reference barangays for the target city/municipality.
   • Automatically outputs and loads the filtered PSGC reference subset as <code_filter>_<city_name> (Filtered PSGC).

2. Automatic Field Normalization and Title-Casing:

   • Converts source barangay names to smart title-case while expanding common Philippine administrative abbreviations (Brgy. → Barangay, Sto. → Santo, Sta. → Santa, Pob. → Poblacion, Mt. → Mount, St. → Saint).

3. Multi-Stage Match Engine:

   • Exact Match: Performs direct case-insensitive string comparison against the filtered reference records.
   • Roman Numeral Normalization: Converts Roman numeral tokens (I, II, III, IV, etc.) to Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) to match equivalent name variations automatically.
   • Levenshtein Distance Fuzzy Match: Calculates minimum character insertion, deletion, and substitution edits (within a distance threshold of 3) for remaining unmatched features.

4. Output Columns: The matched output layer is streamlined to retain only three essential columns:

   • <field_name> (First column) — Original barangay attribute from the input layer (converted to smart Title Case)
   • barangay name (Final Name) (Second column) — Resolved official PSGC barangay name
   • error_detail (Third column) — Actionable audit description for manual GIS inspection:
     • Empty string (""): Feature matched cleanly (exact match or clean fuzzy match).
     • Roman/Arabic normalization note: e.g., Matched via Roman/Arabic normalization: "Zone IV" -> "Zone 4" (dist=0).
     • Multiple match warning: e.g., 2 candidates with same distance 1 for "San Jose" — review needed.
     • Unmatched notice: e.g., No match found for "Unknown".

Supported Geometry Types

• Polygon and MultiPolygon
• LineString and MultiLineString
• Point and MultiPoint

TIP

Both Matched Barangays and Filtered PSGC Table outputs are automatically generated as temporary memory scratch layers. You can execute single runs or batch runs safely without manual file configuration.