PINOY-MADE ROCKETS: PhilSA, South Korea firm sign rocket development framework deal

The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), together with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), Ascend International Gateway, Inc., and the Republic of Korea’s Perigee Aerospace, Inc., signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on a framework for rocket development training and experimental rocket launches in the Philippines.

The initiatives aim to demonstrate the viability of the establishment and operation of a Philippine spaceport, with the goal of positioning the country as a gateway to space in the region.

The MOU was signed by PhilSA Ad Interim Director General Gay Jane P. Perez, DICT Secretary Henry R. Aguda, CEZA Administrator and CEO Secretary Katrina Ponce Enrile, Perigee Aerospace CEO Dong Yoon Shin, and Ascend International Gateway President Ramon C. Garcia Jr. during the Philippines–Korea Business Forum held on March 4, 2026, at Conrad Manila.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque and Republic of Korea Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) Kim Jung-kwan. The event coincided with the State Visit of ROK President Lee Jae Myung to the Philippines.

During his message at the Philippines–Korea Business Forum, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. underscored that the business agreements signed across various industries, including shipbuilding, nuclear energy, aerospace, critical minerals supply chains, retail, and health and wellness, “demonstrate our enthusiasm for our private sector to deepen our strong economic relations.”

“All of these will ripple into significant partnerships that will generate projects, investments, and of course, livelihood,” the President said.

With the Pacific Ocean to its east and its proximity to the equator, the Philippines is well positioned to ensure safe and secure rocket launch and recovery operations over open waters, helping to reduce costs, improve launch efficiency, and create opportunities for research and commercial space activities.

The agreement builds on the rocket technology know-how transfer and training program undertaken by PhilSA engineers in the Republic of Korea from October to November 2025, in collaboration with Perigee Aerospace. The program equipped the engineers with foundational and applied knowledge in launch vehicle systems through lectures and hands-on experience in rocket assembly and testing.

These initiatives lay the groundwork for future activities, including possible localized assembly, testing, and launch operations in the Philippines.

Through training, international collaboration, and private sector participation, PhilSA and its partners continue to strengthen the Philippines’ capabilities in space research, engineering, and rocket and satellite development.

PhilSA was created in August 2019 under Republic Act No. 11363, or the Philippine Space Act, as the central government agency responsible for planning, developing, and promoting the national space program. The agency has been expanding its partnerships across the Asia-Pacific region, including recent agreements with the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development and the Tubbataha Management Office for space-enabled environmental monitoring.