Duterte rejects use of nuclear energy in PH

President Rodrigo Duterte last Monday night said the use of nuclear energy would not happen during his presidency.

“Maybe someday [but] not during my presidency,” Duterte said in an interview at the Roman Catholic Cemetery in Davao City.

The President said the use of nuclear energy must be studied carefully and the government must come up with safeguards in case of nuclear explosions.

“Huwag muna ngayon kasi (I guess now is not a good time because) we have to come up with safeguards. Really, really tight safeguards to assure that there will be no disasters if there is a nuclear leak or explosion somewhere in the nuclear reactors that we will build in,” he said.

“It has to be studied carefully by Congress and by the Filipino people. For after all, pag may leak ‘yan, pag mag ano, lahat tayo tatamaan diyan (if there is a nuclear leak, we would all be affected) and it’s our country, remember that,” he added.

Duterte said the Philippines still has enough power supply.

“Wala pa talaga tayo (We are not yet in) danger zone that we will die if there’s no energy,” he said.

In September, senators visited the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) to examine whether the 40-year-old could still be used or the government needs to build a new nuclear power plant.

READ: Senators split on using idle nuclear plant

Energy Secratry Alfonso Cusi earlier said that nuclear power is “a good option” for the Philippines.

READ: Nuclear power ‘a good option’ for PH—Cusi

Cusi said Department of Energy (DOE) has initiated a study on the possible utility of the mothballed BNPP. RAM