Controversy Over Experimental Nuclear Tech in the Philippines

So, there’s this thing going on in the Philippines that’s got people all riled up. House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro, who’s part of the Makabayan bloc, is really not happy about this ‘123 agreement’ that the Philippines and the United States recently signed. She’s worried that this experimental nuclear technology could be a danger to the health and safety of Filipinos. She’s pushing for an investigation into the whole deal, and she’s not the only one. The Makabayan bloc filed House Resolution No. 582 to get the House of Representatives to look into it.

Castro’s got some serious concerns about this nuclear tech. Apparently, US experts have raised issues about the design, safety, and costs of these modular or nuclear microreactors. She’s not buying it and thinks it’s a big risk to the people and the environment.

She’s even gone as far as to say that Filipinos might end up as guinea pigs for this technology that the US is still testing. Yikes! And it’s not just her who’s worried. There are concerns about the US Army’s plan to build a mobile nuclear reactor that can be flown by a cargo plane and power a military base. Plus, a nuclear company called NuScale Power LLC is trying to make commercial versions of small modular nuclear reactors, but they’re getting heat from nuclear energy experts over costs and safety issues.

The Makabayan bloc filed HR 582 back in November 2022, but it hasn’t been looked at yet. On top of that, the House just gave the green light to House Bill No. 9293, also known as the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act. Castro’s not happy about any of this. She thinks the ‘123 agreement’ was rushed and that it’s the fastest civil nuclear cooperation deal ever negotiated.

But not everyone’s on the same page. Some members of the House are feeling pretty positive about the whole thing. Ang Probinsyano Rep. Alfred delos Santos thinks the agreement should calm everyone down because it follows the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. He’s also quick to point out that adding nuclear energy doesn’t mean they’re ditching solar and wind power. They’re all part of the mix, according to him.