Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has appointed Dr. Gay Jane P. Perez as director general of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), making her the agency’s second chief after its founding head, Joel Joseph Marciano Jr.
Perez had been serving as officer-in-charge of PhilSA since September 2025 and previously held the post of deputy director general for space science and technology starting in 2021. Her earlier roles gave her oversight of research, development, and institutional leadership within the agency.
Before joining PhilSA, Perez led the scientific team behind the country’s first microsatellites, Diwata-1 and Diwata-2, which laid the foundation for subsequent space technology projects, including the Multispectral Unit for Land Assessment (MULA) satellite.
She has received several national and international awards, including the National Academy of Science and Technology’s Outstanding Young Scientist Award in 2021 and the Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service Award in 2019. Perez is also the first Filipino recipient of the ASEAN–U.S. Science Prize for Women for her work using satellite data to forecast droughts and improve agricultural productivity.
In recent years, Perez has represented the Philippines in international space initiatives, including collaborations with the Indian Space Research Organization, the United Nations Space4Ocean program, and the Artemis Accords on sustainable space exploration.
She earned her doctorate in physics from the University of the Philippines Diliman and completed postdoctoral research at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, where she specialized in remote sensing and satellite data applications.
As PhilSA’s new director general, Perez is expected to strengthen the country’s “Yamang Kalawakan,” or national space ecosystem, by expanding research, innovation, and partnerships in support of an inclusive and sustainable national space program.
The PhilSA chief holds the rank of cabinet secretary and also serves as presidential adviser on space matters.
PhilSA was established in 2019 under Republic Act No. 11363, or the Philippine Space Act, and is attached to the Office of the President for policy coordination and alignment with national priorities.
