(Eagle News)–The Senate has approved on third and final reading the creation of a Philippine Space Agency.
Under Senate Bill No. 1983 authored by Senator Bam Aquino, a Philippine Space Development and Utilization Policy is also created to serve as the Philippines’ strategic roadmap for space development.
“Satellites can improve disaster management, from providing accurate information that allow early warnings and predicting of disasters to reliable and quick communication during relief and recovery operations,” Senator Bam Aquino said in authoring and sponsoring the measure.
Under the bill, the PhilSA office and its research facilities will be housed in at least 30 hectares of land in the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga and Tarlac, and will be under the administration of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.
Additional areas for research and launch sites will also be developed.
Initial funding for the space program, or P1 billion, will be taken from the current fiscal year’s appropriation of the Office of the President, while the funds for the subsequent operation and maintenance will be included in the General Appropriations Act.Philippine News Agency
