Meteorite repatriation team unveils Pampanga, Paitan meteorites

The Pampanga and Paitan meteorites were unveiled to the public on Saturday at a Pasig City mall following their repatriation by the Philippine Meteorite Repatriation Team.

Allan Yu of the team expressed his long-held dream of completing Filipino meteorite collections, which was made possible with new energy and support from fellow enthusiasts.

Abe Ambrocio noted the challenges faced in retrieving these meteorites from foreign museums, emphasizing the difficulties involved in repatriation.

The Pampanga meteorite, dating back to 1859 when it fell in Mexico, Pampanga, was discovered as a flaming rock behind Santa Monica church and sent overseas by the Gobernador-General.

The majority of the Paitan meteorite, which fell in Ilocos Sur in 1910, is believed to be part of Halley's Comet and was hidden for 75 years before being tested and confirmed as a meteorite.

Dr. Jeff Aguilar stated that the team aims to repatriate all seven Philippine meteorites so future generations can study them, emphasizing the importance of having actual specimens.