The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) participated in the 5th Philippine-Japan Maritime Dialogue held on 29 March 2023.
Both the Philippines and Japan exchanged views on the latest maritime situation in South China Sea, East China Sea, Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait. In matters related to Maritime Cooperation, both countries discussed the ASEAN-Japan Cooperation Framework, defense cooperation, enhancement of maritime domain awareness, and maritime cooperation using space-based assets.
PhilSA was represented by Engr. Edgar Paolo Paolo B. Violan, Chief for Space Security Technologies Division and Ms. Mary Angelie B. Sto. Domingo, Supervising Science Research Specialist, Space International Cooperation Division.
On behalf of PhilSA, Ms. Sto. Domingo delivered the intervention during the dialogue. She expressed PhilSA’s openness to possible collaboration with the Japanese counterparts in the exchange of information and capacity-building activities in emerging technologies, including the development and use of space-based assets and artificial intelligence. This aims to enhance the country’s maritime domain awareness through monitoring of illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and monitoring and assessment of marine habitats and pollution from ships and transboundary pollution.
PhilSA also explores cooperation on enhancing space situational awareness (SSA) related to rocket launch debris and other space activities, as well as expanding the current collaborations to include and expand imagery access and analysis.
The Maritime Dialogue is a platform to exchange views on various maritime related issues and explore potential cooperation between the Philippines and Japan. The holding of the 5th iteration of the Dialogue was announced by the two countries during the official visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to Japan in February 2023. The Philippine delegation was headed by Assistant Secretary Maria Angela Ponce of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and was joined by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, the Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), National Security Council (NSC), and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA).
(L-R) PhilSA Space Security Technologies Division Chief Engr. Edgar Paolo Paolo B. Violan, Philippine Ambassador to Japan H.E. Mylene J. Garcia-Albano, and PhilSA Space International Cooperation Division Supervising Science Research Specialist Ms. Mary Angelie B. Sto. Domingo