The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) have joined forces to advance the utilization of satellite data in environmental and natural resource mapping and monitoring.
The partnership was announced on Thursday, March 20, but was formalized on February 10, 2025 during the ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) at the PhilSA office in Quezon City.
The collaboration aims to leverage satellite technology for various initiatives, including land cover, topographic, and bathymetric mapping; coastal resource and environmental monitoring; and natural resource management.
Under the agreement, PhilSA will share expertise and provide training to enhance NAMRIA’s capabilities in satellite remote sensing, data processing, and advanced image analysis.
“Our partnership combines knowledge of space technology and geospatial intelligence, thus creating new possibilities for improving decision making and policy making in multiple domains,” NAMRIA Administrator and Undersecretary Peter Tiangco said.
The initiative is expected to address critical issues such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable resource management.
By pooling their expertise, PhilSA and NAMRIA aim to develop innovative tools that will translate into practical solutions for managing the country’s natural resources and environment.
“We continue to heighten our efforts in bringing space technology closer to Filipinos. In this collaboration with NAMRIA, our teams are employing new and existing know-how to develop additional tools for addressing challenges in managing our natural resources and environment, which will be translated to practice and operationalized,” said PhilSA Director General Joel Joseph Marciano, Jr.
Marciano and Tiangco signed the agreement on behalf of their respective agencies with PhilSA Deputy Director General Denis Villorente and NAMRIA OIC Deputy Administrator Ofelia Castro serving as witnesses.
The partnership builds on earlier joint initiatives between the two agencies and reflects a shared commitment to fostering scientific research and environmental sustainability.