On 24 January 2023, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) was accepted as a Data Provider Node (DPN) member of Sentinel Asia.

Sentinel Asia is an international initiative by the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) that supports disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) activities in the Asia-Pacific region using space technology and Web-GIS. It works to enhance disaster preparedness and post-disaster recovery through the sharing of Earth observation technologies with near-real-time internet dissemination methods to improve safety and minimize the number of victims and social/economic losses resulting from disasters.

As a DPN member, PhilSA will provide pre-, during, and post-disaster satellite imagery and data from the Diwata-2 and NovaSAR-1 satellites to Sentinel Asia members upon their observation request during times of disaster. These data will then be made available by Sentinel Asia via open APIs and open data formats.

For Asia-Pacific countries, climate change is one of the most pressing issues in the region. The Philippines especially has been listed in the 2022 World Risk Index to have the highest disaster risk among 193 countries in regards to extreme natural events and climate change.

PhilSA, as the central government agency addressing all national issues and activities related to space science and technology applications (SSTA), recognizes the need for regional cooperation and collaboration to contribute solutions to the challenges of climate change, as well as furthering the development, application, and utilization of space science and technology for the benefit of Filipinos and the world.

PhilSA’s membership to Sentinel Asia supports its Key Development Area on Hazard Management and Climate Studies to enhance the country’s hazard management, disaster mitigation, and resilience to climate change. It is also the first DPN member of Sentinel Asia from the Philippines.

Learn more about Sentinel Asia through their website: https://sentinel-asia.org/aboutsa/AboutSA.html