ECCP: Cebu businesses to benefit from EU s satellite data program

CEBU, Philippines — The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) Cebu yesterday hosted an info session on how Cebu businesses can tap into the European Union s Copernicus satellite data program.

Held at Harolds Hotel, the event Turning Satellite Data into Business Intelligence: Commercial Opportunities in Cebu with EU Copernicus Data, showed how companies in Cebu can use free and open satellite data to boost their operations. Copernicus is the Earth Observation (EO) component of the EU Space Programme.

The program, organized under the EU funded National Copernicus Capacity Support Action Programme for the Philippines (CopPhil), is part of the EU s Global Gateway strategy and aims to help the Philippines address climate issues and hazards. With Copernicus data, businesses in Cebu can make smarter decisions in areas like infrastructure, logistics, environmental management, and urban development.

Managed by the European Union Delegation to the Philippines, the program is implemented by the European Space Agency (ESA), Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), and the Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The session gathered business leaders, innovators, and industry stakeholders to explore how Copernicus data can support smarter, evidence-based decision making across key sectors.

In her opening remarks, ECCP Regional Manager Jillian Sitchon emphasized the importance of harnessing satellite data for national development. We must identify ways to harness satellite data for the benefit of Philippine society, she said, emphasizing its potential to drive sustainable and well-informed business decisions in Cebu.

DOST Assistant Secretary Rodolfo J. Calzado stressed the need to utilize scientific data to address Cebu s pressing challenges.

To solve Cebu s challenges, we must look upward and hovering 800 kilometers above us is the Copernicus, Calzado said, urging stakeholders to view satellite imagery as practical blueprints for industry planning. Local entrepreneurs can access its data, identify agricultural zones, optimize infrastructure, and view accurate historical climate data.

The satellite data can help agricultural enterprises plan crop zones, assist real estate developers in site selection, support risk assessment professionals in hazard analysis, and enable tourism, logistics, and maritime companies to refine operations using reliable, science-based information.

Olaf Neussner, Consultant for Component 3 at CopPhil, presented practical applications of EO data and demonstrated how businesses can access and use the platform online. He highlighted datasets relevant to various industries, including population proximity mapping, land subsidence monitoring, sea level rise projections, ship tracking, and wind speed analysis.

The event showed that with access to satellite data, Cebu s business community can make more informed decisions and strengthen resilience. Companies interested in using Copernicus data can explore the platform online and tap into its vast resources. — Elizabeth Salarde, UP Intern