European Union at the Philippine Space Week 2025
The EU and the Philippines have an important strategic partnership under Global Gateway to leverage space technology in green and resilient growth, and the Philippine Space Week gathered the Philippine Space Agency, Department of Science and Technology, the European Union, European Space Agency, as well as the European and Philippine private sector, civil society and universities to celebrate the milestones of this cooperation.
In a ceremonial event, Dr. Marco Gemmer, Head of the Cooperation Section at the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, handed over the Copernicus data hub from the EU to the Philippines to Dr. Gay Perez, Deputy Director of the Philippine Space Agency and Rodolfo Calzado, Assistant Secretary of Development Cooperation of the Department of Science and Technology, symbolising the leadership of the two government agencies in the EU Copernicus Programme in the Philippines. The Copernicus data hub is the first of its kind in Asia and serves as a gateway for Government Services unlocking climate patterns, aiding disaster response, monitoring marine biodiversity and fostering sustainable economic growth.
The EU and Philippines celebrated the first EU Copernicus training graduates: talented Filipino professionals who completed the first technical training on Copernicus data and applications. These individuals represent the new generation of skilled practitioners who will build national capacities in Earth Observation. With the Philippine young population and talent present, the Philippine Space week also hosted a dialogue on inclusivity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers between the Philippine Space Agency, the Department of Science and Technology, Philippine Normal University, Expertise France, She Loves Tech and the EU-Philippines Youth Sounding Board. Digital innovation can be the future employer for today’s youth in the Philippines and for historically excluded communities.
The EU has a strong commitment to promoting sustainable and inclusive growth through its Global Gateway Strategy. The partnership with the Philippines in space cooperation demonstrates this commitment, and it has yielded substantial benefits, driving progress for the region.
Background
The Philippine Space Week, held from 8 to 14 August under the theme “Yamang Kalawakan para sa Mundo, para sa Bayan”, is the country’s flagship event celebrating space science and the contribution of technology and innovation to national development. Now in its third year, the week-long event brings together agencies, academic institutions, and international partners to raise public awareness of the benefits of space technologies.
Copernicus is the Earth Observation component of the European Union Space Programme, designed to provide accurate, timely, and easily accessible information for improving environmental resource management, understanding climate change, ensuring civil security, and more.
The European Union Copernicus Programme is a flagship initiative of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. The Global Gateway seeks to foster smart, sustainable investments in infrastructure around the world. In the Philippines, CopPhil allows the Philippines to process satellite data independently and with lower latency. This supports the development of a local Copernicus infrastructure, and the co-development of data applications tailored to national and local needs. The programme is implemented by the European Space Agency.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Thelma Gecolea
Public Affairs Officer
European Union Delegation to the Philippines