MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Space Agency on Tuesday inked agreements with different government agencies on harnessing satellite data to accelerate socio-economic development, enhance fisheries management, and monitor infrastructure projects.
PhilSA officials stressed that space science, technology, and its applications play a vital role in people’s daily lives as they formalized agreements with the Department of Budget and Management, Land Bank of the Philippines, Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute, Mindanao Development Authority, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
“We view space as something that is very far away from our lives. But it is not true. We want to bring it closer to the lives of our fellow FIlipinos to improve the delivery of services, protect the environment, and use our resources more efficiently,” PhilSA Director General Joel Joseph Marciano told reporters.
PhilSA signed a memorandum of understanding with MinDA to work together on achieving development goals in southern Philippines. The collaboration seeks to develop projects to advance peace, promote best practices in governance, and empower communities through the use of space data.
“I am confident that through this cooperation with PhilSA, we will be able to provide even better science-based data as an important resource for our development agenda,” MinDA chairperson Belen Acosta said.
The country’s space agency teamed up with BFAR and DOST-ASTi on the development, application, and use of nighttime satellite images to support sustainable and resilient fisheries conservation, as well as the protection and management of marine biodiversity.
PhilSA will also work with DBM to improve the monitoring of government properties and government-funded infrastructure projects. The initiative is seen to reduce costly on-ground efforts such as field-based validation activities and ensure the proper use and expenditure of public funds.
It will also collaborate with LBP on the development and utilization of space-related technologies for financial applications, and with the Korea International Cooperation Agency on air quality monitoring and strategies to address air pollution.
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Space for ordinary folk
PhilSA is an attached agency of the Office of the President mandated to plan, develop, and promote the nation's space program. It was created in 2019 after former President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Philippine Space Act.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. declared August 8 to 14 of every week as the Philippine Space Week to promote space awareness, recognize the impacts of space science on the lives of the public, and highlight the contribution of Filipinos in the field of space science.
Gay Jane Perez, PhilSA deputy director general for space science and technology, pointed out that space technology “helps us in [making] science-based decision-making as ordinary citizens and policymakers.”
She noted that space-based information can help the government prioritize areas for assistance during disasters and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
PhilSA is also using satellite data to scout potential fishing grounds for Filipino fishers, help clean up the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro, and aid in the implementation of the government’s massive reforestation project.