The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said it has partnered with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) for satellite-assisted data gathering to enhance the PSA’s statistics collection.
In a statement issued on Monday, the PSA said the partnership was formalized through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
“This marks the commencement of a strategic partnership to strengthen statistical systems by using Space Science and Technology Applications,” it said.
PSA National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said the initiative is part of the agency’s push to modernize statistical operations, such as the Artificial Intelligence for Census of Agriculture and Fisheries (AI4CAF) project, which uses satellite imagery to enhance data accuracy and timeliness.
Mapa expressed hope that the collaboration would result in “technology-driven data collection systems.”
Divina Gracia del Prado, PSA deputy national statistician, also said that using satellite data and remote sensing is expected to improve data collection accuracy, reduce reliance on fieldwork and reach far-flung areas.
PhilSA Deputy Director General Denis Villorente, meanwhile, described the MOU as a “shared commitment to integrating space-enabled tools into data systems.”
Villorente highlighted the importance of satellite technology in improving crop monitoring, yield estimation and data collection to support planning and policymaking, particularly for farmers and fisherfolk.
Ariel Blanco, PhilSA director for Space Information Infrastructure Bureau, highlighted efforts to use space technologies for agriculture and environmental monitoring, including the European Union’s Copernicus program in the Philippines (CopPhil).
“Through such initiatives, PhilSA is improving satellite data use, advancing remote sensing and planning a new operational satellite launch by 2030 to support geospatial data applications for official statistics and evidence-based planning,” he said.
