A Stellar Homeschooling Experience at the Philippine Space Week Exhibit at Gateway, Cubao, Philippines

My youngest son has a deep fascination with outer space. One of his many ambitious dreams is to become an astronaut to explore space and study planets and stars. So, when we discovered through their Facebook page that the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) was hosting an exhibit at Gateway Mall in Cubao, we immediately added it to our homeschooling activities calendar.

In this post, I’ll share the key takeaways from our visit to the booths and the storytelling session that PhilSA prepared for the kids. The program began with the singing of the National Anthem, Lupang Hinirang. We stood at attention, placed our right hands over our hearts, and joined in the singing. Following this, PhilSA’s Director General, Dr. Joel Joseph S. Marciano Jr., delivered a welcoming remark to officially open the event.

Our first stop was at the booths showcasing replicas of Diwata-1 and MULA, which immediately captured our interest. We learned that both satellites were used for capturing images of the country for agricultural mapping and delineation of areas that have experienced disasters such as floods. The MULA satellite boasts of 1 pixel = 5 meters resolution and will be launched soon according to the PhilSA personnel manning the booth.

After admiring the satellite replicas and learning about them through the infographics, we moved on to another booth hosted by the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE). The engineer at the booth explained that the agency’s primary role is to provide engineering services to farmers and fisherfolk. For instance, they use Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to design farm-to-market roads, ensuring farmers can efficiently transport their produce to market.

The engineer also noted that farmers needing BAFE’s services should coordinate with their local government units (LGUs), which can then propose projects to support farmers and fisherfolk in their area. Afterward, Ian tried out the game at the booth and won a notebook—yay!

The highlight of our visit was the live reading of the book Si Tala at ang Kanyang Lakbay Kalawakan, written by Patrick Mansujeto with illustrations by Ara Villena, hosted by PhilSA. Although Ian hadn’t signed up beforehand since we weren’t aware of the day’s program details, a kind PhilSA employee made room for him among the students, allowing him to listen to the story and participate in the recitation. He even received a copy of the book along with some freebies from Nestle.

I don’t want to spoil the fun of reading the book for you so I won’t discuss the details of the book. If you want a PDF copy, do scan the QR code in the photo below:

After exploring all the booths, the kids and I started feeling hungry since it was already lunchtime. We headed to the nearby food court and decided to try a restaurant specializing in Southern Mindanao cuisine. The dishes were bursting with bold, vibrant flavors that delighted our taste buds. For lunch we had “pianggang manok”, beef kurma, sambal squid, “kaliya puso”, rice, coffee, and a pitcher of iced tea. We were thrilled with our choice—it was our first time experiencing the unique gastronomy of the southern region, and it did not disappoint. We had the traditional ice cream “sorbetes” from a nearby cart. It was good!

Since we hadn’t taken the Metro train in a while, we decided to walk to the MRT Cubao station and ride the train home. Overall, it was a productive and enriching day for us as a homeschooling family. Thank you, PhilSA, for organizing such a wonderful event! We look forward to joining again next year during Philippine Space Week! ❤️