PK Letter to the Manila Times Editor regarding article "Aquino MTPDP proposes nuke plant"

Manila Times
To the Editor

This is a reaction to the Manila Times article entitled "Aquino MTPDP proposes nuke plant" published April 5.

I wish to play witness to two events in the process of formulating the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP 2011-2016) that we know of where the proposal for nuclear energy program was discussed.

Partido Kalikasan (Philippine Green Party), joined the National Consultation of the MTPDP. We openly opposed the formulation then of a "National Nuclear Energy Program" as one of the targets of the MTPDP. The MTPDP infrastructure planning committee where this was discussed agreed to withdraw this proposal but in the plenary presentation, they still mentioned this as part of the alternative sources of energy that should be studied.

In the inter-planning committee workshop that followed weeks after, the Civil Society representative Pastor Delbert Rice raised opposition against even the inclusion of a study on nuclear energy as an alternative source in plenary. NEDAs Paderanga who chaired this session noted this position.

Let it be known publicly that we opposed this proposal from the very beginning. The article of Mr. Amojelar; where he noted that Paderanga said this proposal was "...one of the possibilities that was mentioned during the consultation with the civil society as an alternative source of power" must be updated to also say that the civil society representative and Partido Kalikasan opposed this proposal.

Now that the MTPDP has been "approved in principle", the public can now judge the stand of this current government on nuclear energy program.

Thank you very much!

Roy Cabonegro
Secretary-General
Partido Kalikasan

Room 302 CRM Bldg, Kamias Road corner Kasing Kasing Street, Quezon City, Metro Manila Email: roycabonegro@yahoo.com Mobile Phone 0999 7541637

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http://www.manilatimes.net/business/aquino-mtpdp-proposes-nuke-plant/

Aquino MTPDP proposes nuke plant
By Darwin G. Amojelar, Senior Reporter

THE Aquino administration has proposed the establishment of a nuclear power plant in its Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) for 2011-2016, according to the country's socioeconomic planning chief.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cayetano Paderanga told reporters that the proposed nuclear plant in the draft MTPDP is just one of the possibilities that was mentioned during the consultation with the civil society as an alternative source of power.

"The assessment of the nuclear source of energy as a safe source will depend on scientific judgments which we hope Philippines society will be able to get," Paderanga said.

While the government is looking for alternatives sources of power, he however said the government has yet to secure a specific proposal for a nuclear plant.

The planning chief said the construction of a nuclear power plant will depend on the recommendation of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), which the President chairs.
"We have solar already, we have wind turbines in the north so those things actually they are projects that are proposed to do to look into those things," Paderanga said.

Earlier, non-government Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) bucked the government plan to look into nuclear power as a solution to the country's supply woes.

FDC revived its opposition after massive explosions rocked Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which was damaged during last week's 8.9-magnitude earthquake and 10-meter high tsunami.

"All attempts at reviving the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant must be quashed and the nuclear option indicated in the government's economic blueprint junked," Ric Reyes, FDC president, said.

"We should learn from Japan," Reyes said, adding that the Philippines and Japan are situated on the edges of the Pacific Ring of Fire.

According to FDC, the Aquino administration is still considering nuclear energy as reflected in the draft MTPDP, the government's economic blueprint which identifies growth sectors for the next six years.

Under Chapter 4 (2.2) of the draft MTPDP 2011-2016, the government will pursue the strategy of alternative technologies in power generation such as nuclear power