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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Marcoleta asks PhilSA: 'Can you detect where Zaldy Co is?'

Marcoleta asks PhilSA: 'Can you detect where Zaldy Co is?'

Published Sep 17, 2025 02:35 pm

At A Glance

  • Senators Rodante Marcoleta and Sherwin Gatchalian pressed the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) on how it could be used to combat corruption and monitor defective or anomalous flood control projects, even questioning if it could track figures like Representative Zaldy Co.
Can you detect where Zaldy Co is right now?
Senator Rodante Marcoleta (Photo from Senator Marcoleta's Office)
Senator Rodante Marcoleta (Photo from Senator Marcoleta's Office)
This was asked by Senator Rodante Marcoleta to the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), the central government agency responsible for addressing all national issues and activities related to space science, technology, and application during the hearing of its proposed budget for 2026.
Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, who was the former chair of the House Appropriations Committee, is facing corruption allegations.
Marcoleta wants PhilSA’s involvement in something that is currently relevant, such as addressing anomalies in the government's flood control projects.
He said that this is where they want to see PhilSA's help, clarifying that he's not belittling what they’ve done in other aspects, but this is what’s important right now, stressing that they should assert what is truly needed at this moment.
“Hinahanap namin ang mga flood control projects. Hindi naman lahat ghost eh. Mabibilang mo sa daliri ang ghost pero 99% defective lahat. We want to know nasaan ang mga coordinates. The DPWH nagtuturuan na sila ngayon (We are looking for the flood control projects. Not all of them are ghost projects — you can count the ghost ones on your fingers, but 99% are defective. We want to know where the coordinates are. The DPWH is now pointing fingers at each other),” Marcoleta pointed out. 
“Halimbawa, puwede niyo bang ma-detect yung mga bangko ay pinaglagyan nitong mga kawatan na ito kung nasaan ang perang nilagay? Pwede niyo bang ma-detect ngayon kung nasaan si Zaldy Co (For example, can you detect the banks where these crooks deposited the money? Can you detect right now where Zaldy Co is)?” he added.
Marcoleta stated that this is the way to make their agency relevant, but clarified that he was not discrediting their work, adding that many people benefit from it. He emphasized that what matters is their ability to connect their work to the lives of citizens so that it can be truly appreciated.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also asked how PhilSA can help fight corruption, particularly referring to PhilSA’s Multispectral Unit for Land Assessment (MULA) Satellite. The first MULA project received a budget allocation of ₱2.6 billion, covering satellite development, licensing, launch, and engineer training.
"Certainly, Mr. Chair," PhilSA Deputy Director General Dr. Gay Jane Perez said.
Perez said that they aim to put a MULA constellation consisting of four satellites that would cover the entire Philippines.
Gatchalian said that he's trying to make sense out of the investment of the government of P2.6 billion to help the government fight corruption to avoid P270 billion in corruption.
“We will get virtually everyday updated pictures of river systems?” Gatchalian asked.
“Certain locations,” Perez said
Target launch of the MULA satellite is by mid-2026.

Related Tags

rodante marcoleta Win gatchalian flood control Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA)
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