The Office of the President has designated Dr. Gay Jane P. Perez as the officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), following her service as the agency’s deputy director general for space science and technology since 2021.
Dr. Perez, a physicist and researcher with extensive experience in satellite data applications, earned her doctorate in Physics from the University of the Philippines Diliman and later conducted postdoctoral research at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
Her work at NASA focused on remote sensing and the use of satellite data for environmental and agricultural applications.
A distinguished scientist, Dr. Perez was named an Outstanding Young Scientist by the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) in 2021 and received The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) award in 2019.
She also became the first Filipino recipient of the Asean-US Science Prize for Women for her pioneering research using satellite data to predict droughts and enhance agricultural productivity.
Her achievements have been recognized by the Senate through Resolution No. 923, highlighting her contributions to global science.
Dr. Perez previously led the science team behind the Philippines’ first microsatellites, Diwata-1 and Diwata-2, which paved the way for current PhilSA initiatives such as the development of the Multispectral Unit for Land Assessment (MULA) satellite.
As OIC, Dr. Perez is tasked with ensuring the continued implementation of PhilSA’s programs and partnerships across the space value chain in line with the agency’s mandate under Republic Act No. 11363, or the Philippine Space Act.
She has reiterated PhilSA’s commitment to advancing Yamang Kalawakan, the country’s growing space ecosystem, to support sustainable development and nation-building.
PhilSA also expressed its gratitude to outgoing director general Dr. Joel Joseph S. Marciano Jr., who was instrumental in building the agency’s institutional framework and strengthening the Philippines’ presence in the global space community.
