CopPhil joined researchers, practitioners, and students at the Philippine Geomatics Symposium (PhilGEOS 2025) on 24–25 November at the GT-Toyota Asian Center Auditorium in UP Diliman, Quezon City, highlighting how European and Philippine experts are working together to power science-based planning, environmental management, and contribute to national resilience.
Organised by the UP Department of Geodetic Engineering and the UP Training Center for Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry, PhilGEOS has become one of the country’s premier gatherings for geomatics and Earth Observation. This year’s edition provided a space for CopPhil to share progress on its EO pilot services, national data infrastructure, and growing partnerships across government, academia, and the research community.
The conference also featured a keynote address by Dr. Casper Fibaek, CopPhil Project Officer at the European Space Agency (ESA), whose participation underscored the European Union and ESA’s continued support for developing the Philippines’ capacity to access, process, and apply Copernicus data.
Building the Foundations of National Access to Satellite Data
One of the key contributions of CopPhil to PhilGEOS this year was the session “Building the Base: Establishing the CopPhil Mirror Site and the GATES Program,” led by the CopPhil Infrastructure team.
The session was opened by Ms. Maria Terron-Puig from the EU Delegation to the Philippines with an overview of CopPhil’s goals in the framework of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy: increasing access to the EU’s Copernicus Earth Observation programme data, strengthening technical capacity across institutions, and ensuring that EO data serves national priorities in climate resilience, sustainable development, and environmental protection.
Engineers Adrian Vicioso Matrat and Lucía Tomaino de la Cruz then presented the CopPhil Mirror Site, a major milestone for the country’s EO ecosystem. It reduces download times, improves data reliability, and allows users to access high-volume satellite products directly from servers hosted in the Philippines. The team walked participants through the platform’s architecture and functionalities, followed by a hands-on demonstration which encouraged attendees to explore the interface and try basic workflows themselves.
The session also highlighted the Geospatial Analytics and Technology Solutions (GATES) Program) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Presented by Engr. Mylene Jerez, GATES is integrating DOST’s datasets into a unified, AI-ready geospatial platform which will strengthen data-driven decision-making across fields such as food security, climate, disaster resilience, infrastructure, and public health. By connecting government datasets with EO data from Copernicus, the programme aims to improve how agencies plan, respond, and innovate.
Questions on interoperability, long-term sustainability, and the operational future of the Mirror Site were further discussed in a panel featuring Adrian, Lucía, and Engr. Jerez. Participants raised their questions on nationwide capacity building, as well as the opportunities to scale geospatial infrastructure beyond the pilot phase, all pointing to the growing demand for harmonised, high-quality data systems.
Demonstrating Local Impact Across Sectors
In the second CopPhil session, “Unlocking the Power of Copernicus: Local Applications and Collaborative Opportunities,” the focus shifted from infrastructure to real-world applications. The session showcased how Copernicus data is being translated into actionable insights which support Philippine agencies, researchers, and local governments.
CopPhil Liaison Officer Ms. Marion Sutton provided an overview of EO pilot services which have been co-developed with national and academic partners during the first two years of implementation of CopPhil.
A series of partner presentations then demonstrated the breadth of Copernicus applications across disciplines:
- Dr. Arturo Daag (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology – DOST PHIVOLCS) illustrated how Copernicus Sentinel satellite data supports landslide modelling, and hazard analysis, providing critical inputs to geospatial tools used in disaster risk reduction.
- Mr. Vioghn Jendrick Aquino (Philippine Space Agency – PhilSA) highlighted his work using AI and machine learning with Copernicus datasets, particularly on automated feature extraction and risk assessment workflows.
- Mr. Michael Alexis Nota (Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Soils and Water Management – DA-BSWM) discussed how satellite data improves drought and crop monitoring, land suitability analysis, and decision support for agricultural resilience.
- Engr. Margaux Cruz (University of the Philippines’ Department of Geodetic Engineering – UP DGE) shared insights on benthic habitat mapping, biodiversity conservation, and the importance of remote sensing for coastal management and marine ecosystem health.
Together, the presentations highlighted how CopPhil data is now enabling solutions tailored to Philippine needs, from upland hazards to coastal ecosystems and agricultural planning.
Charting the Future of Earth Observation in the Philippines
The session concluded with a synthesis delivered by Dr. Ariel Blanco, Director of PhilSA’s Space Information Infrastructure Bureau. He emphasised that the work undertaken through CopPhil is laying the groundwork for a long-term, sustainable space data ecosystem: one which links research, national agencies, and local institutions in a shared value chain.
Dr. Blanco highlighted the central role of data infrastructure such as the CopPhil Mirror Site, the importance of strong academic partnerships, and the need for continuous capacity-building to ensure that EO tools become embedded in institutional workflows. His message underscored a clear vision of the Philippines moving from data access to data-driven governance, with Copernicus data serving as a key enabler.
Strengthening Community, Capacity, and Collaboration
Throughout PhilGEOS, the CopPhil booth served as a hub for participants unable to join the limited-seating sessions. Attendees interacted with the team to learn more about the pilot services, explore the Mirror Site, and ask about upcoming training opportunities, scholarships, and ways to become part of the growing Copernicus user community in the Philippines.
Across two days, PhilGEOS 2025 reaffirmed the momentum behind the country’s geospatial transformation. Through its infrastructure, co-developed services, and expanding partnerships, CopPhil continues to demonstrate how open satellite data can support national priorities and empower institutions to make informed, science-based decisions.
As the programme moves into its next phase, CopPhil and its partners are committed to strengthening this ecosystem by building on shared expertise, enabling innovation, and ensuring that Earth Observation contributes meaningfully to a sustainable and resilient future for the Philippines and the ASEAN region.
Background Information
As a flagship and unique programme of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, CopPhil is designed to harness digital resources and space technology for sustainable development and to support innovations in research and business in close cooperation with government partners.
CopPhil is managed by the European Union Delegation to the Philippines. It is implemented by the European Space Agency (ESA) in partnership with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) and the Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DOST). In addition to the development of the Earth Observation pilot services, the activities of CopPhil include the establishment of a Copernicus Data Centre and IT infrastructure as well as awareness-raising and knowledge and skills transfer related to Copernicus data and information.
