PH backs outer space exploration policies
The Philippine government has joined more than 100 countries in endorsing an international effort to strengthen cooperation in the peaceful use of outer space and the global governance of outer space activities.
For the first time in 50 years, the Philippines participated at the commemorative High Level Segment of the United Nations Conference on Space Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE+50) and the 61st session of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) at the Vienna International Center last June 29.
The Philippines’ position was conveyed through a national statement supporting the formulation of the “Space 2030” Agenda, a vision for international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
Likewise, the Philippines supported the draft resolution on the 50th Anniversary of UNISPACE+50: Space as a Driver for Sustainable Development, which has been negotiated over the course of a few months and finalized last May.
“Creating this legal framework would be a definitive step in the direction of developing the country’s national capabilities on the peaceful uses of outer space and space-derived economic benefits,” Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Assistant Secretary Emmanuel Galvez said.
Aside from Galvez, the Philippines was represented in the twin meetings by Deputy Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN in Vienna Sulpicio Confiado, First Secretary Leilani Feliciano and National Security Council Director Maria Victoria Castro and Deone Seva Dasallas.
Galvez pointed out that the Philippines is still in its nascent phase in terms of developing its own national space industry and harnessing the peaceful uses of outer space.
The Philippines launched its first microsatellite, Diwata 1 into space on 23 March 2016.
Diwata is a flagship project of the DOST meant not just to place the Philippines in the map of space innovation, but also to reap its contributions to disaster risk reduction, weather monitoring, agricultural productivity, food security and even tourism.
Such accessibility to satellite data and imagery is boosting the capability of PAGASA in making accurate forecasts and weather monitoring.
Last year, the DOST pushed for the creation of a national space agency that will consolidate all space-related research and development ventures of various government agencies and boost the country’s capability to become a space technology hub in the region.
A national legislation is now pending in Congress.
At the conclusion of the UNISPACE+50 commemoration in Vienna, UN member states pledged their commitments to a resolution that strengthen global cooperation in space and the use of space and the use of space for sustainable development.
The Philippine mission in Vienna said the resolution will be endorsed to the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly, for consideration and adoption this September in New York.
The Philippine Mission said the country recognizes the importance of harnessing space science, technology and space applications, which has great scientific, technical, practical and civilian benefits for states such as environmental monitoring, management of natural resources, meteorological forecasting, climate modeling, satellite navigation, communications, and early warning systems to help mitigate potential disasters for disaster risk reduction and management, and the use of space technology for sustainable socio-economic development.