MANILA, Philippines – Nagpahayag ng panghihinayang si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa desisyon ng pamahalaan na ipahinto ang Bataan Nuclear Power Plant noong 1980s.
Ang pahayag na ito ni Marcos ay kasabay ng pagbisita niya sa Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute.
“In 1986, we were already in the first two phases. We were already in that. In fact, that pool of trained professionals…they’re still around waiting to put their knowledge into practice,” ani Marcos.
“So we never were going to do the last phase that you have. We already managed to do the first and the second, and too bad, they stopped it,” dagdag pa niya.
Ipinag-utos ni dating Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Sr. ang konstruksyon ng nuclear power plant noong 1976 bilang tugon sa tumataas na presyo ng kuryente.
Ang pasilidad ay nakumpleto noong 1984.
Sa kabila nito ay hindi ito nakalikha ng kuryente dahil ipinahinto agad ang operasyon nito kasunod ng 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
“We always worry about… people are worried about safety, and the answer that comes back is that, ‘We don’t care where our power comes from, but bring it more cheaper.’ That’s it. We don’t care where it comes from. So that’s changed completely,” sinabi ni Marcos.
“Pushing the envelope further, perhaps it is time for us to revisit nuclear energy production,” he said, expressing confidence that it could “reinforce our energy security and bring down the cost of electricity in our country.”
“Titiyakin nating ito ay ligtas. Titiyakin din nating maipaliwanag nang mabuti sa publiko ang magandang dulot sa atin ng enerhiyang nukleyar,” dagdag pa niya.
Noong Hulyo 29, sinabi ng Department of Energy na ikinokonsidera nito ang tatlong lokasyon para sa nuclear power plant at kabilang ang Bataan sa mga pinagpipilian. RNT/JGC
