A legislator on Saturday pushed for the enactment of a bill that intends to guide the Marcos administration on the use of nuclear sources to help attain energy security.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte was referring to House Bill 9293 that aims to set up a legal framework that will govern and make possible the safe use of nuclear energy but only for the country’s future requirements.
The bill has been approved at the House on third and final reading.
“The development by the NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council) of a national emergency plan for potential nuclear or radiological emergencies plus the establishment of separate funds for the final disposition of SNF and the eventual decommissioning of would-be nuclear power facilities are on the must-do list of HB 9293 for our safe and secure use of atomic energy,” said Villafuerte, president of the National Unity Party.
“Once approved by the 19th Congress and signed into law by President Marcos, this measure will clear the way to the safe use of nuclear or atomic power for our household and commercial or industrial power requirements, in step with the Marcos administration’s long-term strategy to spell energy security while steadily weaning our country away from fossil fuel and reducing our carbon footprint,” Villafuerte said.
He said that as pointed out by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez following its plenary approval in the House, this bill—to be known as the “Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act”—marks the “first step” towards achieving the President’s vision for energy security.
HB 9293 provides for the creation of the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (PhilATOM) to take over all regulatory functions concerning nuclear energy and radiation from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and the Radiation Regulation Division of the Center for Device Regulation, Radiation, Health and Research of the Department of Health–Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Villafuerte said the bill tasks the NDRRMC, which is attached to the Department of National Defense-Office of Civil Defense (DND-OCD), to draw up and maintain a national emergency plan for responding to potential nuclear or radiological emergencies, with the prior recommendation of the PhilATOM and approval by the Secretary of the Department.
He said the national emergency plan shall include an allocation of responsibilities and actions among relevant governmental and nongovernmental bodies, including arrangements for communications and public information.