House OKs PH space dev’t agency measure

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill that essentially creates the Philippines’ version of the United States’ famed National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA.

Given final approval by the Lower Chamber was House Bill (HB) No.8541, or the proposed Act establishing the Philippine Space Development and Utilization Policy and creating the Philippine Space Agency.

All 207 congressmen present during a recent plenary session voted in favor of the passage of the bill, which was principally authored by Bohol 2nd district Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado.

The measure ensures that the Philippines has official representation in the international space community through the establishment of cooperative agreements and linkages on space development.

The bill provides for the establishment of the Philippine Space Development and Utilization Policy (PSDUP) that shall serve as the country’s primary strategic roadmap for space development and shall embody the country’s central goal of becoming a space-capable and space-faring nation within the next decade.

The PSDUP shall focus on the areas of Space Science and Technology Application (SSTA) to address national issues, promote the efficient use of space assets and resources, establish capacity-building measures for human resource development, and enhance international cooperation.

Likewise, the bill provides for the creation of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) as the central government agency to address all national issues and activities related to SSTA.

The PhilSA shall be attached to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to coordinate policies and programs and ensure alignment in national policies and priorities.