Philippine bishops: “No to the Alaminos nuclear power plant”
The Ministry of Energy would like to restart atomic energy production in the Philippines in the province of Pangasinan with the construction of a 1,200-megawatt plant. In a pastoral letter, the bishops of the region where the plant would be built express their opposition: ‘After Fukushima, let us choose prudence, investing in renewable energies that guarantee safety, resilience and true long-term development for our people’.
Manila (AsiaNews) - A group of Filipino bishops has recently taken a stand against the proposed construction of a nuclear power plant in Alaminos, in the province of Pangasinan, north of Manila, citing safety, environmental and moral reasons, speaking of an ‘unacceptable risk’.
The project, put forward by the Marcos administration's Department of Energy, represents a revival of nuclear ambitions in the Philippines, which have been dormant since the 1980s when the Bataan nuclear power plant, the country's only nuclear facility (pictured), was decommissioned. Proponents argue that it could provide the energy needed to meet growing domestic demand, with initial studies indicating a 1,200-megawatt facility. However, the proposed nuclear power plant would be built in the western part of the province, closer to the East Zambales fault line.
On 4 December, Archbishop Socrates Buenaventura Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan, Auxiliary Bishop Fidelis Bautista Layog, Bishop Daniel Presto of San Fernando, La Union, Father Getty Ferrer of the Diocese of San Jose, Nueva Ecija, Bishop Napoleon Sipalay of Alaminos, Bishop Jacinto Jose of Urdaneta, and Bishop Prudencio Andaya of Cabanatuan published a pastoral letter expressing their opposition to the project.
‘We urge our government officials, policymakers and all the Filipino people to choose the path of prudence and sustainability. We must invest heavily in renewable energy infrastructure that will ensure safety, resilience and true long-term development for our people,’ the bishops said.
The Philippines has great energy potential thanks to its rich renewable energy resources, but it is prone to natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes. The bishops call for ‘extreme caution and prudence when considering energy sources that carry irreversible and long-term risks.’
They cite the Fukushima disaster of 11 March 2011 in Japan as an example to support their position, stating that it showed the ‘insoluble dangers’ of nuclear energy and how it can irreversibly damage people, livelihoods and the environment. ‘A catastrophic accident caused by a strong earthquake or a super typhoon far outweighs any expected energy benefits.’
The bishops emphasise the need for caution, intergenerational responsibility and the transition to renewable energy to protect future generations, in line with the message proposed by Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato si'. They note that their region is vulnerable to disasters and that the problem of radioactive waste is irreversible.
‘Pangasinan is not ours. We owe it to future generations to keep it safe from a nuclear catastrophe. The risks outweigh the benefits,’ they observe. ‘Not in Pangasinan and nowhere else,’ conclude the bishops of the region, calling on government officials and the public to put people's safety and the common good above economic or commercial interests.
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10/09/2014
18/06/2022 16:25
