In Mandaue City, Florence Pauline Gardose Basubas, once declared at age six that she wanted to be an astronaut, a dream met by many with disbelief, but one which she nurtured through the years by looking at the immensity of the skies.

“Seeing farmlands and swimming in the sea made me curious about everything. I thought there’s not much to discover on Earth anymore,” she told DAILY TRIBUNE.

In a developing country like the Philippines, she said her dream often felt distant; children, after all, are urged to aspire for “practical jobs.”

She recounted that her determination was tested when she battled dengue fever, which shifted her focus to healthcare.

“My grandma made me drink herbal medicine, and I realized the lack of treatments in the Philippines. I wanted to become a scientist to improve lives,” she explains.

Basubas’ journey was filled with challenges. While earning degrees in Natural and Social Sciences and a Master’s in Experimental Sciences, she encountered skepticism and setbacks in aspiring to crash the field of space science.

Her perspective changed during studies in San Francisco, where she learned about space organizations. Engaging with startups, she became passionate about space sustainability, writing papers on the environmental impacts of the space industry.

In the summer of 2023, she won the UNOOSA Space4Youth competition on her birthday, a surreal moment amidst her preparations for a parabolic flight.

At the NASA Space Camp, she thrived with hands-on activities, launching rockets and discussing sustainability with like-minded peers.

Today, Florence’s dream of becoming an astronaut remains alive, now paired with a desire to boost youth participation in science. She envisions a Philippines thriving in STEM, especially for underprivileged youth.

Florence embodies determination, merging her cosmic dreams with a commitment to improving life on Earth. To young dreamers, she offers a lesson in resilience:

“Falling in love with science is easy, but staying in love is a daily choice. Every setback is a step toward achieving your dreams,” she said.

Once a girl gazing at the stars, Florence is now charting her course in the cosmos, proving that dreams can take flight — one experiment at a time.