Dr. Gay Jane Perez takes oath as PhilSA Ad Interim Director General

Photo credit: Office of the Executive Secretary

Dr. Gay Jane P. Perez took her oath of office as Ad Interim Director General of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), administered by Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto at Malacañang Palace. The Director General of PhilSA holds the rank of a Cabinet Secretary and serves as the Presidential Adviser on Space Matters.

Dr. Perez will further advance the Philippines’ Yamang Kalawakan, underscoring the growing role of space science and technology as indispensable tools for informed decision-making and effective governance. Through these capabilities, the country strengthens its ability to address climate change and disaster risks, enhance food security, protect the environment, and safeguard the maritime domain.

PhilSA will also continue to deepen collaboration with its existing and new partners, recognizing that strong domestic and international cooperation remains essential to building a robust and globally competitive space ecosystem.

Dr. Perez has been with PhilSA since 2021. She assumed the role of Officer-in-Charge in September 2025, bringing with her extensive experience in space science, research and development, and institutional leadership.

Prior to PhilSA, Dr. Perez led the science team behind the development of the Philippines’ first microsatellites, Diwata-1 and Diwata-2, laying the groundwork for subsequent space technology initiatives, including the ongoing development of the Multispectral Unit for Land

Assessment (MULA) satellite. She led satellite remote sensing research on drought monitoring and forecasting, forest change detection, climate change and variability, among others.

She earned her doctorate in Physics from the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman and completed her postdoctoral research at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, specializing in remote sensing and satellite data applications.