As the town of Bansalan in Davao del Sur marked its 71st anniversary last September 18, significant developments were also occurring at Malacañang. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act, commonly referred to as the PhilATOM bill, following its long-anticipated passage and ratification by Congress.
PhilATOM stands for the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority, which is an independent agency responsible for regulating all sources of ionizing radiation. This agency will ensure safety, security, and safeguards for the peaceful applications of nuclear energy across the nation, including in power generation.
“The approval of the PhilATOM bill is yet another of the landmark measures that we at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) have been pushing to address many of the pressing issues in our S&T landscape,” said Science Secretary Renato Solidum Jr.
The PhilATOM, he added, will continue to ensure the safe and peaceful use of nuclear science, and its application to health, agriculture, and industry, aside from power.
Dr. Carlo Arcilla, the director of Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, also hailed the passing of the law. “This legislation aligns the nuclear regulation in the Philippines with international standards and satisfies a main requirement of potential nuclear power operators to have an independent regulatory body,” he said
He further said, “The passing of the PhilATOM bill will help usher in the integration of nuclear power in the Philippine energy mix, helping provide dependable baseload and reliable electricity to consumers and the industry.”
In alignment with international standards, the legislation delineates the regulatory responsibilities from the promotional, research, and developmental roles of the PNRI, which was formerly the regulatory authority overseeing nuclear and radioactive materials along with their related facilities and operations.
The approved bill also introduces new provisions concerning nuclear safety, security, safeguards, radiation protection, and emergency preparedness and response, demonstrating the nation’s dedication to meeting its enduring commitments to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the global community through various treaties, conventions, and other agreements.
A larger proportion of Filipinos surveyed expressed their views on the potential of nuclear energy as one of the electricity sources in the country, showing a preference for its utilization, according to the Department of Energy (DOE).
The DOE cited the findings of the Social Weather Station (SWS) survey on Public Perception Survey regarding Nuclear Energy, with approximately 7,520 adult respondents across the country.
It said that over 70 percent of participants “believe that nuclear power can provide reliable electricity, decrease dependence on imported fuels, generate employment opportunities, and assist in combating climate change, while 76 percent of Filipinos express a desire to gain further knowledge about nuclear energy.”
The survey results further indicated that “the net approval rating for the rehabilitation of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant is +66 nationwide, whereas the support for the construction of new nuclear facilities is at +45.”
The press release disseminated by the Philippine News Agency noted, “Support is also stronger among higher-income households, younger Filipinos, and those with higher levels of education.”
Although nuclear energy is widely used for electricity production, it has often faced an image problem, particularly in the wake of accidents such as the 1985 Chernobyl disaster in what is now northern Ukraine, the 2011 Fukushima accident in Okuma, Japan, or, more recently, the occupation by Russian forces of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
“Nuclear is already playing a big role in clean energy delivery; more than a third of clean, carbon dioxide-free energy produced today in the world is nuclear,” said Rafael Mariano Grossi, the Director General of IAEA. “In Europe, where I live, it’s half. So, it is already part of the solution.
The Nobel prize-winning International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has recognized that, without nuclear energy, it will be almost impossible to decarbonize by 2050.
“So, there will be more nuclear power and the IAEA, along with the UN System in general, will make sure this happens in a safe and secure way, and does not lead to the proliferation of nuclear weapons,” Grossi said.
Regarding “misinformation” surrounding nuclear energy, Grossi explained: “The conventional wisdom is that thousands of people died because of the Fukushima nuclear accident. Whilst it’s true that thousands of people were killed by the tsunami (that hit Japan in March 2011), not a single person died from radiation.”
Looking at statistics available globally, “you will see that in terms of mortality, nuclear is even lower than some renewable energies,” Grossi said. “Many people die in air accidents, but we don’t stop flying in aircraft. National governments have a responsibility to keep societies well-informed and set the record straight.”
Grossi, however, doesn’t recommend that the world should go nuclear for its energy consumption. “This doesn’t mean that we will go 100 per cent nuclear: we believe in intelligent energy mixes, where nuclear is the baseload energy,” he explained. “It’s very stable, it’s available come rain or shine, you can regulate it, and you can integrate it with renewables.”
