20/08/2026
The Words that might be Lies:
In his fifth State of the Nation Address on July 27, 2026, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. announced that the Philippines will launch its first rocket from Philippine soil in 2027. He said the launch will be a *liquid-fueled sounding rocket test* in Cagayan, in partnership with South Korean aerospace company Perigee Aerospace. The rocket will carry a locally developed payload of up to 2 kilograms and reach at least 5 kilometers in altitude. Marcos described Cagayan as “geographically and economically primed to serve as our gateway to space and host the country’s first spaceport”. The project will be led by the Philippine Space Agency, DICT, and CEZA, and is meant to test rocket technologies, launch procedures, and build Filipino expertise in space engineering. He closed the announcement with: “Yes, we are going to launch a rocket into space”, drawing applause as part of the government’s push to make the Philippines a space-capable nation.