Gatchalian says safety of nuclear energy must be prioritized

Senator Win Gatchalian said the government must ensure safety in the potential use of nuclear energy as the country takes a step closer towards the development of the energy source.

"The government has to ensure safety in the use of nuclear energy as a means of generating electricity. Safety should be paramount and there needs to be a nuclear law in the country to ensure the safe and secure use of nuclear energy," said Gatchalian.

The senator made the statement following the signing of a nuclear cooperation pact between the United States and the Philippines under which the latter would receive investments and technology support as the country transitions to cleaner energy.

"Public confidence in the use of nuclear energy needs to improve dramatically and ensuring safety and transparency is the only way to achieve significant development of nuclear energy in the country," Gatchalian emphasized. He filed a resolution last year to inquire on the activities, outputs, and accomplishments of the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee and its recommendation for the country to embark on a nuclear power program.

According to Gatchalian, the government must also ensure adherence to international standards. In March last year, the government adopted a national position and formally relaunched its bid to include nuclear power in the country's energy mix, generating varied reactions from the public.

Currently, the Department of Energy (DOE) is working on 19 infrastructure issues relating to the adoption of nuclear energy in line with The Milestones Approach of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which promotes the safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste generated by the use of nuclear technologies, including nuclear power. The IAEA safety standards provide the fundamental principles, requirements, and recommendations to ensure nuclear safety.

The Philippines has yet to ratify the Convention on Nuclear Safety, the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management, and the Amendment to the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.

Gatchalian: Dapat unahin ang aspeto ng kaligtasan pagdating sa nuclear energy

Sinabi ni Senador Win Gatchalian na dapat tiyakin ng gobyerno ang kaligtasan sa potensyal na paggamit ng enerhiyang nukleyar habang isinusulong ng bansa ang paggamit nito.

"Dapat tiyakin ng gobyerno ang kaligtasan sa paggamit ng nuclear energy bilang paraan ng paggawa ng kuryente. Ang kaligtasan ay dapat na pinakamahalaga at kailangang magkaroon ng nuclear law sa bansa upang matiyak ang ligtas na paggamit ng enerhiyang nukleyar," sabi ni Gatchalian.

Ang pahayag ng senador ay kasunod ng paglagda ng Estados Unidos at Pilipinas sa isang nuclear cooperation pact kung saan tatanggap ang bansa ng mga pamumuhunan at suporta sa teknolohiya para tulungan ang bansa na makalipat sa paggamit ng mas malinis na enerhiya.

"Dapat lalo pang palakasin ang kumpiyansa ng publiko sa paggamit ng enerhiyang nukleyar at kailangang tiyakin nang husto ang kaligtasan at transparency upang makamit ang makabuluhang pag-unlad ng enerhiyang nukleyar sa bansa," sabi ni Gatchalian. Ang senador ay naghain ng isang resolusyon noong nakaraang taon upang alamin ang mga aktibidad, output, at mga nagawa ng Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee at ang rekomendasyon nito para sa bansa na simulan ang isang nuclear power program.

Ayon kay Gatchalian, dapat ding tiyakin ng gobyerno ang pagsunod sa mga pandaigdigang pamantayan. Noong Marso noong nakaraang taon, pinagtibay ng gobyerno ang isang pambansang posisyon at pormal na muling inilunsad ang nais nitong isama ang nuclear power sa mga pinagkukunan ng enerhiya ng bansa, na nagdulot ng iba't ibang reaksyon mula sa publiko.

Sa kasalukuyan, inaayos na ng Department of Energy (DOE) ang 19 na isyu sa imprastraktura na may kaugnayan sa pag-adopt ng nuclear energy alinsunod sa Milestones Approach ng International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), na nagsusulong ng ligtas na pamamahala ng radioactive waste na nanggagaling sa paggamit ng mga teknolohiyang nukleyar, kabilang ang nuclear energy. Ang mga pamantayan ng IAEA sa kaligtasan ay nagbibigay ng mga pangunahing rekomendasyon upang matiyak ang kaligtasang pang-nukleyar.

Samantala, hindi pa nararatipikahan ng Pilipinas ang Convention on Nuclear Safety, ang Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management, at ang Amendment sa Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.