Gay Jane P Appointed Director General of Philippine Space Agency

• President Marcos appointed Gay Jane Perez as the Director General of the Philippine Space Agency
• She was previously the officer-in-charge of the Philippine Space Agency
• Gay expressed her dedication to developing the space ecosystem in the Philippines

President Marcos appointed Gay Jane Perez as the Director General of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), where she was previously officer-in-charge.

Perez expressed her goal in her new position to further develop the Philippines’ young space environment, also known as “Yamang Kalawakan,” by enhancing the country’s space capabilities, encouraging research and innovation, and building partnerships to ensure a sustainable space program.

Before her appointment, Gay was the Deputy Director General for Space Science and Technology since 2021, with rich experience in space science, research and development, and management.

Gay headed the scientific team that built the Philippines’ first microsatellites, Diwata-1 and Diwata-2, which paved the way for future space programs such as the current Multispectral Unit for Land Assessment (MULA) satellite project.

She has been awarded several national and international awards, such as the 2021 National Academy of Science and Technology Outstanding Young Scientist Award and the 2019 Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service Award.

Gay is also the first Filipino to receive the ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women for her research utilizing satellite data to predict droughts and enhance agricultural productivity. She has also been recognized by the Senate of the Philippines via Resolution No. 923 of the 17th Congress.

Gay has also represented the Philippines in large-scale international space programs, including collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation, the United Nations Space4Ocean program, and the Artemis Accords, which advocate for responsible and sustainable space exploration by civilians.