MANILA, Philippines – Mariing tinutulan ni Senador Loren Legarda ang pag-sama ng Antique sa listahan ng mga posibleng nuclear energy sites.
“I’m not in favor and I am not alone… I will block it every step of the way. Whichever government agency is studying it, do not waste your money, your time and your resources. I will oppose your budget,” babala niya.
“I am not in favor of that and I think the provincial government will not be in favor, and many, or most, if not all, of our kasimanwas (fellow citizens) will not be in favor,” dagdag niya. “Of all places, why Antique? We’re experiencing floods. We have mountains. We have indigenous people.”
Sinabi ni Legarda na nabigla siya nang marinig niya sa balita na ang Antique ay inirerekomenda bilang isang site ng nuclear energy.
Sinabi ni Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla na hindi siya ang nagrekomenda sa Antique. Sinabi niya na mayroong isang nuclear energy program interagency committee na pinamumunuan ng Department of Energy (DOE).
“It has been conducting studies on siting. So, these are sites that were, first those which were identified when we first built our nuclear power plant in Bataan. Then, in addition, they’ve been looking at other areas as well,” saad ni Lotilla.
Aniya hindi siya updated sa anunsyo na nabibilang ang Antique bilang isang posibleng site.
“But we have identified from the DENR standpoint is that if the government, and that’s through Congress, does move ahead with the nuclear power, that before such permits can be issued, there has to be an ECC (Environment Compliance Certificate) that has to be issued by the DENR,” aniya.
“And to be able to conduct the ECC in accordance with international standards, then we will have to build up the capacity within our environmental management bureau to be able to respond to that challenge,” dagdag niya.
Sinabi pa niya na isa ang Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) sa mga ahensya na kayang makapagsabi ng angkop na mga lugar para sa isang nuclear power plant at idinagdag na tutukuyin niya ang iba pang mga detalye sa ulat na nagsasama ng Antique sa listahan nito.
Umapela si Legarda sa DENR upang alisin ang probinsya sa listahan ng mga posibleng pagtayuan ng nuclear facility, na binigyang-diin na tututulan din ito ng mga residente nito.
“There’s no need to think about it. Do not study it. It will not fly. Do not waste money. No one was consulted about that… We need to be more safety-conscious,” aniya.
Nauna nang tinutulan ng Amlig Antique Alliance ang pagsasama ng lalawigan bilang isa sa mga potensyal na lugar para sa isang nuclear power plant sa bansa.
“We strongly oppose and condemn the reported inclusion of the province of Antique — particularly Semirara Island —as a potential site for a nuclear power plant,” saad ng grupo, na binigyang-diin na maaari itong maging “disaster waiting to happen.” RNT/MND
