Marcos admin to maintain Duterte’s position on nuclear energy use — DOE

The Marcos administration will continue with the previous administration’s pursuit to revive the use of nuclear energy in the Philippines.

This was disclosed by the Department of Energy (DOE), through Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, during the Senate plenary deliberations of the department’s proposed budget for 2024.

It was Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III who asked the DOE of its position on nuclear energy, citing the need for debates on the controversial matter.

“Wala pa ba tayong categorical position? So that we can start the debate. Klaro, ano na ba ang recommendation ng DOE?” Pimentel asked.

Responding to this, Gatchalian, who defended the budget of the DOE at the Senate, said former President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 164 on nuclear energy program still stands under the new administration.

“Actually, there is a national position and this is when the former President, President Duterte, issued EO 164 entitled [Executive Order] adopting a nuclear position on a nuclear energy program and for other purposes,” Gatchalian said.

“The position of the new administration is to honor this national position that was promulgated in 2022,” he added.

Asked again if the Marcos administration is for the adoption of nuclear power generation in the Philippines, Gatchalian answered in the affirmative.

Currently, Gatchalian said a roadmap, which will provide the specifics of the nuclear energy program, is being crafted.

The road map is expected to be completed by December this year, he added.

In line with this, the senator said the Philippine Energy Department is following the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) prescribed processes and the agency is working on 19 infrastructure prospects that need to be fulfilled.

Gatchalian said the DOE has also included in its nuclear agenda the enactment of all laws necessary for the adoption of nuclear power in the country, particularly the law that will create the regulatory body for its use.

There are also four treaties that the DOE is requesting Congress to look into so they can push through with their plan to adopt the use of nuclear energy in the country.

Under the proposed 2024 budget, Gatchalian said there is a P25-million allocation for DOE’s nuclear program — an initiative which the Philippine government has been funding since 2018.

“Since 2018, we already allocated P216 million for research, feasibility study, as well as correspondence with the IAEA,” Gatchalian said.

Since the administration already declared its position, Pimentel said the national debate should be started so the whole nation could be involved in the debates on nuclear energy.

“Put it (the P25 million) to good use so that we can start the national debate. Sana there will be no unilateral action until we have a national debate para involved ‘yung whole society,” Pimentel said.

“I think that should be enough in the amount and in the period of time,” he added.

The Senate on early Tuesday morning submitted the DOE’s proposed budget for 2024 for plenary approval.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has been consistent in his push for the use of nuclear energy in the country.

Marcos earlier said that the Philippines has ongoing discussions with the United States about the 123 Agreement, which will provide the legal framework for civil and nuclear-related investments, particularly nuclear power, in the country.

In his first State of the Nation Address, Marcos expressed his desire to adopt nuclear energy as part of the country’s power mix, but said the government’s strategy has to be rethought.

During his state visit in Washington in May, Marcos met with officials of Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation, which is a US-based firm global leader and vertical integrator of nuclear technologies and services.

He then considered a "cutting-edge" micro nuclear fuel technology as part of the measures to address the power crisis in the country. — BAP, GMA Integrated News