As part of the EU Global Gateway Strategy, CopPhil supports capacity building in the use of Copernicus Earth Observation data in the Philippines, while also contributing to greater inclusion in STEM fields.
In this video, Judy Ann C. Mejorada-Wenceslao, the first EU CopPhil scholar, shares her experience as she advances her expertise through a Master’s degree at the Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences, specializing in photogrammetry, geoinformatics, and Earth observation. Her studies are equipping her with skills in land cover analysis, benthic mapping, and ground movement monitoring, which are relevant for environmental management and disaster risk reduction.
Through hands-on training and applied research, she is gaining practical experience which she is expected to bring back to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in Davao. Her enhanced capabilities are expected to support MGB’s operations, particularly in data-driven decision-making, resource assessment, and hazard monitoring.
Her experience also highlights the importance of creating opportunities for women in technical fields such as Earth Observation, which remain traditionally male-dominated. By supporting access to specialized education and international training, the CopPhil contributes to strengthening both technical capacities and gender inclusion in the sector.
This reflects the broader scope of the CopPhil initiative, which supports capacity building across local governments and central agencies through specialized training programmes and targeted workshops, including those focused on in situ data management.
Through initiatives such as the EU CopPhil Scholarship Programme, the EU continues to promote the uptake and operational use of Copernicus Earth Observation data in the Philippines.
Background Information
As a flagship and unique program 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 Center and IT infrastructure as well as awareness-raising and knowledge and skills transfer related to Copernicus data and information.
