The civil nuclear cooperation signed between the Philippines and the United States on Thursday will provide benefit not only to power generation and supply but also agriculture, health and water management, to name a few, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Raphael Lotilla said.
“Beyond nuclear power applications to combat climate change, the new Agreement facilitates bilateral cooperation in a wide array of other peaceful uses of atomic energy — all supportive of various Sustainable Development Goals — including plant breeding, livestock production, insect pest control, soil and crop management, water use efficiency, plastic waste disposal, food safety, health and medicine,” Lotilla said at the Philippines 123 Signing Ceremony during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Week in San Francisco, California.
The 123 Agreement allows the peaceful transfer of nuclear material, equipment, and knowledge from the US to the Philippines.
In his speech, Lotilla recalled the efforts of the Philippine government in investing in nuclear energy which started during the administration of former President Carlos Garcia. The same was likewise pursued by former President Ramon Magsaysay, former President Diosdado Macapagal, all the way to the administration of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos.
Of all the policies put in place by previous administrations, the country’s Bataan Nuclear Power Plant remain intact but never operational more than three decades since its construction began.
Lotilla recognized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s commitment to adopt nuclear energy and assured that the agreement with the US is compliant under the standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“Under the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., the negotiation of the present agreement with the US was made possible, its predecessor agreement having expired in 1998. Every step of the way, the Agreement recognizes adherence to standards and safeguards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency,” Lotilla said.
Lotilla also thanked the President for supporting the negotiations that finally led to the signing of an agreement.
“On behalf of the member agencies of the Philippine Nuclear Energy Program-Inter- Agency Committee, we would like to express our sincerest gratitude to President Marcos, Jr. for his support and to the two countries’ respective negotiating teams for successfully concluding the negotiations leading to the signing of this Agreement,” Lotilla said. PND
