Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
THE Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) has proposed the creation of a space science and technology applications (SSTA) dialogue among the European Union and Southeast Asian nations during the third Philippine-European Union Joint Committee Meeting held in Brussels last June 30.
The PhilSA director for the Space Information Infrastructure Bureau, Dr. Ariel Blanco, said in his country statement that the proposed dialogue would support the Philippines and the EU in using space-based technology and applications for climate resiliency response and for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The agency also expressed its interest in coordinating a dialogue between the EU and Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) after the signing of the Copernicus Administrative Agreement between the European Commission and PhilSA, which will stimulate cooperation in Earth observation through the reciprocal exchange of satellite data.
It will also allow these data to be used in challenges of common interest, such as the management of natural resources, mitigating the impact of climate change, disaster-risk reduction, food security, rural development and public health.
The agreement allows the Philippines, through PhilSA, to develop a data hub to distribute Copernicus Sentinel data and information in the Philippines and across the region, as well as to support pilot projects using Copernicus.
Blanco said that the Philippines envisions itself as the coordinator of dialogue relations between the European Union and Asean countries, which are anchored on the Copernicus agreement, which is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. — Red Mendoza
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