DOST and JAXA Reaffirm The Strengthening of Space Cooperation
The Philippine delegation, led by Secretary of Science and Technology Dr. Fortunato De la Peña, met with Dr. Hiroshi Yamakawa, President of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and other JAXA officials in a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the launching of Diwata-2 on 29 October 2018.
The Philippine delegation, led by DOST Secretary Dr. Fortunato de la Peña met with Dr. Hiroshi Yamakawa, President of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and other JAXA officials on the sidelines of the launching of Diwata-2 Microsatellite on 29 October 2018 at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.
DOST Secretary de la Peña thanked Dr. Yamakawa for JAXA’s valuable support for the Philippines’ development of space technologies, including the microsatellites DIWATA-1 and DIWATA-2 and the cube satellite MAYA-1. He enumerated some of the Philippines’ efforts to further develop its space technologies such as the proposed 10-year national space development program, the proposed legislation establishing a Philippine space agency, the introduction of space-related subjects into the Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) program in the University of the Philippines (UP), and the continuing development of human resources in partnership with public and private universities.
UP Chancellor Michael Tan and DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute Acting Director Joel Joseph S. Marciano, Jr. hoped that the launching of the DIWATA-2 microsatellite would further increase awareness and expand opportunities particularly for the Filipino youth.
JAXA President Yamakawa expressed interest on the Philippines’ ongoing space development efforts. The DOST and JAXA looked forward to the immediate conclusion of the proposed Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) between DOST and JAXA on space cooperation.
From left to right: Philippine Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Eduardo M.R. Meñez, JAXA Vice President Masato Nakamura, DOST Secretary Dr. Fortunato de la Peña, JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa, UP Chancellor Michael Tan, Engr. Mark Edwin Tupas, DOST-ASTI Acting Director Joel Joseph Marciano, Jr. and JAXA Vice President and former astronaut Koichi Wakata.
