MANILA — The Philippines seeks to be a “space-capable and space-faring country by 2030,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said on Tuesday.

Manalo gave the statement in Tokyo where he held a press conference with his Japanese counterpart Hayashi Yoshimasa.

“We recognize the growing importance of the space-based technologies in various aspects of modern society, including climate change and disaster risk resilience,” he said in a speech.

“To realize our goals, we require democratic access to these technologies, a level playing field, and an inclusive and predictable governance regime in both the maritime and outer space domains,” he said.

The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), established in 2019, is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, Manalo said.

Under Republic Act 11363, the PhilSA is mandated to contribute to the development of the Philippines’ national security and development, space education, space research, space industry and capacity building, among others.

“The Philippines aims to establish a pool of trained space scientists, engineers and communicators that will be critical for the country's future space program and increasing public awareness on its value and benefits,” according to the PhilSA’s website.

“Through international partnerships and collaborations, the Philippines will become a key player in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and global space community by providing significant contributions and capabilities on space S&T applications,” it read.

In 2022, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told PhilSA to ensure the “mapping” of the country’s “bio-assets” and make this information readily available to government agencies.

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