Officials of the Philippine Space Agency were at the UP Visayas Miagao campus on June 17, 2022, to present its program for possible research collaborations with the university.
Dr. Gay Jane Perez, PhilSA’s Deputy Director General for Space Science and Technology, introduced the agency’s key development areas that include national security, space research, hazard management and climate studies, space education awareness, space industry and capacity building, and international cooperation.
Foremost among its program is the Space Data Mobilization, being used for national security, maritime domain awareness, and economic development. The program provides information from satellite imagery, remote sensing, GIS and data science technologies that include surveillance, assessment and monitoring of national security areas to support the safeguarding of Philippine sovereignty.
Another program is the Build, Build, Build in Space (B3iS) Philippine Satellite which supports the country’s National Information Communication and Technology program in order to support its mandate to do space research and space industry capacity building.
Meanwhile, the Space Education and Awareness program is committed to expanding human and institutional resources for space science technology applications.
Also present during the UPV visit was PhilSA Director General, Dr. Joel Marciano, Jr., Dr. Marc Caesar Talampas, Director for Space Technology Missions and Systems Bureau, with two of its staff, Tricia Cepeda and Odette Enricuso.
Vice-Chancellor for Research and Extension, Dr. Harold Monteclaro received the guests along with several scientists, faculty members, and researchers of the university.
PhilSA was created under Republic Act No. 11363 or the Philippine Space Act and was established on August 8, 2019. It is the central government agency that addresses all national issues and activities related to space S&T applications and is an attached agency of the Office of the President.
A guided tour of the research facilities of UPV concluded the visit.
