The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) met on Wednesday to discuss a possible collaboration for the development of space technology and applications for the maritime domain. This aims to expand and deepen the use of space science and technology applications in enhancing the country’s maritime security capabilities.

Director Marc Talampas, Ph.D., of the Space Industry and Strategic Business Development Bureau (SISBDB) and Director Ariel Blanco, D. Engg., of the Space Information Infrastructure Bureau (SIIB) led the team of PhilSA. The delegation of PCG, meanwhile, were led by CG Capt. Eric R. Ferrancullo, Commander, Deputy Chief of Coast Guard Staff for Strategic Studies and Modernization CG15, CG Capt Richard Q. Paragas, Deputy Commander, Marine Environmental Protection Command (MEPCOM), and CG Capt Perlita Cinco, Commander, Real Estate Management Office.

Among areas of possible collaboration discussed between PhilSA and PCG were maritime domain awareness, maritime environment research, and capacity building and know-how exchange.

“PhilSA stands ready to help the PCG in building their space technology capabilities and its application to the fulfillment of their mandate and duties,” Dr. Talampas said during the meeting.

“We look forward to collaborating with the PCG especially in monitoring our coastal environment,” added Dr. Blanco.

Prior to this initiative, PCG has been one of PhilSA’s beneficiaries in its capacity-building project, Pagsasanay sa Kalawakan. In 2022, PCG, together with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the NCWC, participated in a training series on artificial intelligence (AI) organized by PhilSA Space Security Technologies Division (SSTD) from March to July 2022.

The efforts to strengthen collaborations with the defense and security sector is in line with PhilSA’s mandate to assist other government agencies in the performance of their duties and functions with strengthened public access and resource sharing through the utilization of space science and technology applications (SSTA) and mobilization of space data. In 2022, PhilSA signed formal agreements with the Department of National Defense (DND) and NCWC. The memoranda of understanding encompass collaborations on information and knowledge exchange, capacity-building and joint training, research and development, and joint stakeholder engagements. The partnership with DND and NCWC has resulted in the sharing of satellite data products and joint organization of training activities in space technologies for security applications.

Representatives of PhilSA and the PCG at the PhilSA-managed PEDRO Ground Station located at the DOST-ASTI rooftop.

PhilSA Science Research Specialist Engr. Renzo Wee explains the technology behind the Maya cube satellites.

After the meeting, PhilSA toured the officials and representatives of PCG to the Philippine Earth Data Resource Observation (PEDRO) ground station at the Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) and at the University of the Philippines Diliman University Laboratory for Small Satellites and Space Engineering Systems (ULyS³ES) in Quezon City