The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) cited that satellite images, also known as "Earth Observation imagery," play an important role in assessing and identifying damage in the aftermath of natural disasters.

"Diwata-2 captured the February 2020 forest fire in Benguet that approximately burned 2,714.59 hectares, excluding other possibly undetected areas covered by clouds and their shadow," PhilSA said in a Facebook post on Thursday, Nov. 18, adding that affected areas included Itogon, Bokod, Kabayan, Kibungan, and some parts of Tuba.

Diwata-2 is a 57-kilogram microsatellite launched into space on Oct. 29, 2018.

It is the Philippines' second microsatellite designed and developed by Filipino scientists and engineers under the PHL-Microsat Program.

It provides access to satellite data on agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, and is also equipped to assess the damage caused by natural disasters.

Meanwhile, PhilSA explained that data collected from space can help uplift Filipinos' lives through data-driven and evidence-based policies.

"Maps like these, made using Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Burned Area Index (BAI), can be used to complement other data used by agencies tasked with post-disaster assessment and rehabilitation," it explained.

Aside from disasters, the country now utilizes the use of satellites amid food security concerns, and to promote better health services through telemedicine.

In its published Space Data Mobilization: Volume 1, PhilSA focused on the importance of Earth Observation satellites in generating actionable information across applications such as disaster risk management, environment monitoring, defense and security, and econometrics. (Charie Mae F. Abarca)