The government should use space-based technology such as satellites to protect the marine environment and assert the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Stratbase Institute President Dindo Manhit stressed the importance of space science and technology applications (SSTA) within the field of maritime domain awareness, particularly in the West Philippine Sea.
“In our advocacy to bring to light Chinese interference in the West Philippine Sea, the monitoring of Chinese Coast Guard vessels through satellite imagery has become useful in showing Chinese aggression to the world and asserting our rights in that area,” Manhit said, in his speech on Tuesday during the first-ever conference on space cooperation in the Philippines, organized by the Stratbase Institute, in partnership with the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines and the Philippine Space Agency.
“By harnessing the power of satellites, space agencies, and international partnerships such as the one that we have with the Embassy of Canada today, we have the opportunity to revolutionize our capabilities at sea. From tracking vessels in real time to detecting illegal fishing activities and monitoring environmental changes, space-based assets offer unparalleled insights into the dynamics of our maritime areas,” he said.
Aside from using SSTA in the maritime domain, several experts also discussed space-based technology’s importance in other sectors such as agriculture, connectivity, and climate change, among others.
Considering these, Manhit exhorted the government to collaborate with like-minded nations like Canada to strengthen the Philippines’ capabilities in this field. Rey E. Requejo
“This is an industry that warrants attention especially in the wake of rapid technological advancements. It is our hope that this conference would be the start of discussions on the relevance of space science and technology applications across different sectors. By encouraging more dialogue and collaboration in these areas, we can make use of space science and technology applications to address global challenges,” he said.
“We at Stratbase believe in looking beyond the present and seeing not only risks, but opportunities as well. In the sector of space, the areas for new industries, collaboration with different countries, and economic potential for Philippine society at large are as vast as space itself,” Manhit added.
In his speech, Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman emphasized that “Canada is proud to be a reliable partner of the Philippines”.
“We will continue to explore opportunities to deepen our relationship in multiple forums to further advance our respective national objectives both here on Earth, as well as in outer space,” Hartman said.
Considering the advancements in space-based technology, the Ambassador also stressed the importance of strengthening the governance of outer space in advancing norms, rules, and principles of responsible behavior.
“Alongside such guidelines that support the long-term safety and sustainability of space activities, success will be dependent on international collaboration and cooperation,” he added.
Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) Program Director General Dr. Joel Marciano Jr. further highlighted the opportunities that space science bring to the country and the importance of partnerships with like-minded nations in developing these technologies.
“Partnerships are key, and the various agreements that PhilSA has had with different government agencies in terms of building capacity within these agencies has allowed them to make more informed decisions and have more efficient programs based on space data,” he said.
Marciano noted that the European Commission National Copernicus Capacity Support Action Program for the Philippines (CopPhil), the first space cooperation program in Asia, “further strengthens the space data value chain in the Philippines”.
“[CopPhil] is very important for early warning, for example for extreme weather phenomenon, as well as improving climate resilience,” Marciano said.