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Alpas Pilipinas, a non-stock, non-profit organization leading the advocacy for the use of nuclear energy as a clean energy source, celebrated ‘Earth Day’ on Monday with a student-media forum at the conference room of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) in Quezon City.
With the theme ‘Every Day is Earth Day with Clean and Green Nuclear Energy, ‘ the forum, attended by students from leading universities in the country, turned into an educational symposium emphasizing the efficiency and positive side of using nuclear energy to better the economy and the environment.
Focusing on nuclear energy’s cleanliness, affordability, and reliability, the Earth Day event highlighted how integrating this energy solution into the country’s energy mix ensures a stable and reliable power supply while fostering a cleaner and greener environment for the Philippines.
Alpas Pinas Convenor Gayle Certeza emphasized the environmental harm caused by the country’s current energy source, fossil fuels, and highlighted Nuclear Energy as a clean energy technology due to its lack of greenhouse gas emissions.
“As we celebrate Earth Day, let this serve as an important reminder that immediate action is imperative; otherwise, climate change will only worsen. With 77% of the Philippines’ energy coming from fossil fuels, Nuclear Energy eliminates greenhouse gas emissions and provides a denser energy source capable of meeting our electricity needs for future generations,” said Certeza.
The recent red and yellow alerts declared by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in the Luzon grid, following forced outages in 19 power plants, underscore a pressing need to strengthen the country’s energy capacity. While the alerts have been lifted, it’s crucial to recognize the ongoing concern. The growing electricity demand suggests the potential for future similar occurrences, emphasizing the necessity for proactive measures to prevent further power supply interruptions.
Pangasinan 2nd District Representative Mark Cojuangco, an advocate for nuclear energy and recipient of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Distinguished Public Service Award, echoes the statement as he highlights the urgent need for a reliable energy source to meet every household’s growing energy demand.
“The Philippines has tried all energy sources and failed to make electricity clean and cheap. There is only one solution right now, and that is nuclear energy. We fail to realize that we need an intrinsically clean, cheap, and reliable energy source that only nuclear energy can provide,” Cojuangco added.
Cojuangco, chairperson of the 25-member Special Committee on Nuclear Energy, said the House had already done its part when it passed the proposed bill seeking to create the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (PhilAtom) as a legal framework that will facilitate the country’s foray into nuclear energy. The bill received 210 yes votes from the Lower Chamber, seven no votes, and two abstentions.
“We have done our part; the ball is now in the hands of our distinguished Senators,” said Cojuangco.
The Philippines is looking for other energy sources, as the Malampaya gas field, which powers much of the country’s energy needs, is expected to deplete by 2027.
“We can’t afford to import more coal, ito ang dahilan kung bakit hindi maawat ang pagtaas ng presyo ng ating kuryente. Nakapanlulumo ito para sa ating mga kababayan,” he added.
For PNRI, this celebration underscored their ongoing studies, research, and education on nuclear energy in the Philippines. It also opens a dialogue with the public about PNRI’s operational nuclear research reactor, one of the few in the world.
“Last year, the Philippines’ first and only nuclear reactor training facility, Philippine Research Reactor – 1 Subcritical Assembly for Training, Education, and Research (PRR-1 SATER), became fully operational and has been granted permission to operate. With this facility, we aim to foster growth within the research and academic community to address any research needs required to ensure the safe use of nuclear energy,” said PNRI Director Dr. Carlo Arcilla.
The PNRI, an agency under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), is mandated to undertake research and development activities in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. It is also tasked with developing nuclear energy as a viable solution to the high cost of power, a greener source of energy, and a practical application in the fields of manufacturing, agriculture, and medicine.
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