The Philippines is entering a new phase in science and technology under a new law creating a space agency, a move officials say will have positive effects on national security and public welfare.
The Philippine Space Act was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Aug. 8. It will govern the country's space development and utilization policy.
"This piece of legislation will bear fruits that generations to come will be enjoying," Fortunato dela Pena, the Filipino science and technology secretary, told a news briefing Wednesday, acknowledging that the data collected from space technology will have multiple significant applications on the ground.