July 31, 2023
By Jericho Paqueo
This periodic event serves to honor Filipinos' contributions in space science and technology, while also pointing to its significance for national development. The pronouncement is contained in Proclamation 302, which was issued by Marcos on July 25 and was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.
Space exploration has been an essential part of the Filipino identity since 1957 when Dr. Roman Kintanar became the first Asian astronaut-in-training at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Since then, numerous other Filipinos have made significant contributions in this field like Rogel Mari Sese who was a member of JPL's Mars Exploration Rover mission team and Josefina Abilay who's now working on advanced robotics projects at JPL.
The yearly Philippine Space Week celebrates these accomplishments by furnishing educational activities such as lectures from experts about space science topics, interactive exhibits related to outer space research, movie screenings featuring documentaries about notorious astronauts or missions into deep space exploration; plus more opportunities for students and young professionals interested in pursuing careers within this field of study.
Through President Marcos' affirmation, he hopes that it'll inspire future generations with enthusiasm towards innovation within their own country through advancements being made globally in terms of scientific knowledge regarding our universe.
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