Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum, Jr. believes the Copernicus Capacity Support Action programme for the Philippines (CopPhil) will strengthen the nation’s resilience to disasters and climate change.
In his keynote address during CopPhil's launch, he said that this would be achieved by developing and leveraging Space Science and Technology applications.
The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), DOST, and the European Union (EU) launched CopPhil on Monday, April 24, worth approximately Php 610 million or €10 million.
According to PhilSA, this is the first space cooperation programme in the region, and this new initiative will help the country's authorities develop national systems to make use of EU’s earth observation’s satellites data in the country’s disaster mitigation and climate change adaptation and food security strategies.
Solidum said that CopPhil's launch is a reaffirmation of o commitment to employ innovative approaches to Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (DRR-CCA) through the support and partnership with the European Government.
"Through today’s launching of CoPhil, we are presented with a platform to showcase applications and capacities of the Philippines with Earth Observation and Copernicus for the benefit of our guests and participants. This event is an opportunity for all of us to learn from one another," he added.
He also explained that there are key areas or elements in the aspect of accelerating space science and technology application that he believes will have to come together to build synergies, build dynamism, and enable designing interventions that, when applied, will lead to the greater benefit.
These are information, governance, and strategic planning, and foresight.
"We want to make use of the data from EU Copernicus Observation satellites and ground-based data collection systems to support Philippine Government’s capacities for decision-making and monitoring of policy implementation based on timely and accurate data," he said.
Next, he mentioned that to be most effective in reducing disaster risk, an integrated systems approach to governance, featuring strong coordination and cooperation across sectors and levels is needed.
Lastly, he stated that the third element articulates the highest aspirations of an organization or a country. In terms of space, Solidum said that the future that DOST wants for the country is articulated through the Pagtanaw 2050 or Outlook 2050.
"Through our joint efforts, we can build resilience through space science," Solidum said.
"Let us seize this moment, this opportunity to transform how we view and manage risks. Together, through solidarity and partnerships, we can tackle the common risks that threaten us," he added.