The CopPhil initiative was in the spotlight at this year’s Philippine Space Week, held from 9th to 11th August 2024. This annual celebration offered the Technical Assistance expert team a platform to engage with space enthusiasts and industry professionals on Copernicus.
Organised by the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) in the Gateway Mall in Araneta City, the Philippine Space Week featured around a dozen booths, hosted by commercial exhibitors, universities, and the Department of Agriculture.
The event began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Dr. Joel Marciano, head of PhilSA, alongside representatives from the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, ESA, and other officials. After the opening, the officials toured the exhibits, where the expert team introduced the EU-Philippines Copernicus programme, generating interest and conversation about the use of satellite—Sentinel—images in services such as disaster risk management and protection of vulnerable ecosystems.
Although the event was held in a bustling mall, the Copernicus booth saw a steady flow of visitors, many of whom already had a background in space technology. Many attendees were students, ranging from high schoolers to university students in fields like astronomy, engineering, and computer science. Many were interested in the upcoming trainings on earth observation and Copernicus data and services, and the expert team provided information on how the students can learn more about and apply to the programmes. Others were curious about accessing Sentinel data, and the CopPhil technical assistance team provided demonstrations on how to do so. The expert team delivered documentation (leaflets) on Copernicus and CopPhil programmes.
Overall, the three-day event was a success. The government expressed its high interest in the programme by choosing the CopPhil as one of the few international cooperation programmes to have a booth at the Space Week exhibition. During the opening ceremony, the Philippine Space Agency celebrated the successful cooperation between the two space agencies, and the EU, in natural hazard management and climate change resilience through advanced earth observation. The Copernicus team was similarly excited to exchange with students who visited the booth and showed interest in getting involved with the Copernicus programme via different training and scholarship programmes. To conclude, the Copernicus programme was warmly welcomed and left a positive impression, paving the way for future collaborations and increased interest in space technology.
