Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso. FILE PHOTO
PILAR, Bataan – Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso on Wednesday said he is not keen on reviving the controversial Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) if he becomes president due to safety and environmental risks, which may put people’s lives in danger.
“Well, I don’t think that the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant today is suitable for power generation. They have to permanently close it down. Wala na yan, hindi na yan safe para sa mga tao. Hindi yan safe para sa mga tiga-Bataan,” Moreno told reporters before the start of the motorcade going to Balanga City where he paid a courtesy visit to Bishop Ruperto Cruz Santos of the Diocese of Balanga.
The BNPP was built in 1976 during the time of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. The nuclear facility was the country’s first and only nuclear power plant which cost the Filipino people a whopping $2.2-Billion in foreign loans. When Corazon Aquino became president in 1986, her administration decided not to operate it due to corruption and safety concerns especially after the Chernobyl nuclear fallout in Russia that same year.
“Sa ngayon maraming other sources of energy — renewable, gas, or coal. Hangga’t mayrong teknolohiya at etong mga teknolohiyang eto na available and cost much less. I’m not saying it’s not harmful, but less ang masamang epekto sa kapaligiran yun muna ang ipaprayoridad ko especially if there is an opportunity to copy what the Netherlands did. They are resorting to renewable energy through open space via potable type pero ang ginawa nila agri-potable type source of energy. So, nakaimbento na sila ng way na patuloy pa rin silang magtatanim ng mga pagkain at kung saan tinatanim yung pagkain meron din source na pwede pagkunan ng clean, renewable energy,” Moreno explained.
Moreno said the country can use inspiration from The Netherlands as they mostly generate power from renewable sources such as wind, solar energy, and biomass. In 2018, electricity generated by wind power in the Netherlands amounted to 10.5 terawatt-hours. The electric production derived from photovoltaic power, on the other hand, produced 5.2 terawatt-hours in 2019.
The Netherlands was, until recently, ranked 27th out of 27 EU countries in the production of energy from renewable sources. However, according to Statistics Netherlands, renewable energy consumption accounted for 11.1% of total Dutch energy consumption in 2020. This was up from 8.8% in 2019.
“So, those are the things that are duplicable because sa teknolohiyang available so baka pwede naman tayo mag resort sa ganyang finding source sa electricity. So, hanggang may option dapat masyadong ini-entertain yung nuclear energy source. But just the same for the meantime etong Bataan Nuclear Power Plant ay hindi naman na to safe para sating mga kababayan dito sa Bataan,” Moreno said.
With electricity in the Philippines mostly unreliable and the most expensive in Southeast Asia, the 47-year-old presidential candidate’s accelerated infrastructure program prioritizes building more power plants, both conventional and renewable, to ensure a stable and affordable supply of electricity to grow the economy and attract foreign investments.
Moreno vowed that if elected president, his administration will pursue a “Life and Livelihood” economic policy that aims to address poverty, hunger, unemployment, inequality and social injustice through an inclusive and equitable infrastructure development program as spelled out under his 10-point Bilis Kilos Economic Agenda.
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