If we send Filipinos to space, what will they eat?
VIA GRAPHIC PLUS — This is the question the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) and its partners are exploring through the Philippine Space Mango Program.
The program looks at how the iconic Carabao mango—the Philippine national fruit—can be developed into a food product suited for long-duration space missions and other challenging environments.
“We’re taking the Carabao mango and exploring how it can be part of the Filipino story in space,” said Gina B. Abrera of DOST-PNRI, project leader of the program. “We want a product that can travel far, represent our identity, and remind future astronauts of home.”
The initiative brings together DOST-PNRI, the University of the Philippines Diliman for food science expertise, the Philippine Space Agency for alignment with the national space roadmap, and the Batangas Mango High Value Growers Agriculture Cooperative (BAMAHGACO) as mango farmer-partners.
The program is one of the featured DOST initiatives at the 2026 National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (NSTW) to be held in General Santos City from November 25–29, 2026. It is also seen to support broader efforts to strengthen the Philippine dried mango industry and its competitiveness in international markets, as well as to explore food solutions for emergency and disaster-response situations.
“We’re not just thinking about nutrition. We’re thinking about identity, comfort, and home,” Abrera said. “By 2035, the Philippines aims to send its first astronaut to space. That person will need food that reminds them of home.”
About NSTW
The Philippine Space Mango is one of the featured technologies at the National Science, Technology, and Innovation Week (NSTW), an annual celebration organized by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) that highlights the country’s scientific and technological achievements, research and development (R&D) projects, and innovative solutions.
The event brings together researchers, innovators, industries, government agencies, academe, and communities to showcase how science, technology, and innovation (STI) contribute to inclusive, sustainable, and resilient national development. The NSTW serves as a platform for promoting homegrown technologies, strengthening collaboration among STI stakeholders, and bringing science-based solutions closer to Filipinos. This year’s NSTW will be held on November 25–29 in General Santos City, South Cotabato.
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