Forty-one years ago, the Philippine Navy held its first successful test of the “Sta. Barbara Project”, a program to develop locally-made rockets.
According to the Naval Public Affairs Office, the tests were conducted in Caballo Island at the mouth of Manila Bay. Later tests were conducted at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.
The Navy said the project had been “initiated during the time of the late Pres. Ferdinand Marcos. The project includes building rockets, one of the rockets, ‘Bongbong 1’ was named after the President’s son.”
The late President’s son is now a senator of the Republic while the project has since been quietly abandoned.
