Congressman Mark Cojuangco, Alpas Pinas Lead Convenor Gayle Certeza together with environmental advocates from Kuryente.org, PARE, and participants from other consumer groups, during the Nuclear Energy Forum at PNRI.
As the Philippines grapples with persistently high electricity prices, fuel import dependence, and rising demand, environmental and consumer advocates gathered at the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute for a rare and pointed conversation: whether nuclear energy should be part of the country’s long-term solution.
The Nuclear Energy Forum, convened by Alpas Pinas alongside Kuryente.org and Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy (PARE), brought together climate advocates, consumer groups, scientists, and lawmakers for a structured dialogue on a topic that has long divided the Philippine energy discourse.
At the center of the discussion was Pangasinan 2nd District Representative Mark Cojuangco, principal author of the proposed Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority or Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority Bill, and PNRI Director Dr. Carlo Arcilla. Both framed nuclear energy not as a silver bullet, but as a serious option that deserves evidence-based evaluation amid what participants described as a deepening electricity crisis.
“This forum is about creating a space where difficult but necessary conversations can happen,” said Bas Umali, national coordinator of Kuryente.org. “As consumers, we want electricity that is affordable, secure, and sustainable. Every energy source has trade-offs. The question is whether we are willing to examine them based on facts rather than fear.”
The forum unpacked the fundamentals of nuclear power — from reactor technology and safety protocols to regulatory oversight and waste management. Arcilla addressed long-standing concerns surrounding the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, emphasizing that modern nuclear systems operate under stringent global standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“Nuclear energy produces no greenhouse gas emissions during operation, has one of the smallest land footprints among large-scale energy sources, and operates for decades,” Arcilla explained. “It is also the most studied and tightly regulated energy technology in the world.”
He pointed to PNRI’s Subcritical Assembly for Training, Education, and Research, or SATER, as proof that nuclear science is already being safely applied and regulated in the Philippines, albeit on a limited scale due to funding constraints.
Cojuangco, for his part, steered the conversation toward household economics. He argued that the nuclear debate must be grounded in how electricity costs affect Filipino families.
“In the Philippines, households spend roughly 10 percent of their income on electricity. In countries with nuclear power in their energy mix, that share is often closer to one or two percent,” he said. “The real issue is affordability and stability. Energy policy must ultimately protect consumers.”
He underscored nuclear energy’s high energy density, noting that a small volume of uranium can generate the same output as massive quantities of coal or natural gas — a factor that could reduce exposure to volatile global fuel markets.
The exchange was not one-sided. Representatives from environmental and consumer sectors raised questions on safety, long-term waste storage, geological risks, and financing. The open question-and-answer segment allowed participants to directly challenge assumptions and clarify technical concerns — a format organizers said was deliberate.
APEC Party-list Representative and Dinagat Island Electric Cooperative General Manager Cong. Sergio Dagooc described the mounting pressure on electric cooperatives as generation costs climb.
“We are already in an energy crisis,” Dagooc said. “High electricity prices affect households, small businesses, and distribution utilities trying to keep the lights on. That’s why we must objectively examine all viable options.”
Scientist I and PNRI official Dr. Angel Bautista VII added that nuclear applications in medicine, agriculture, and research are already regulated and safely implemented in the country — reinforcing institutional capacity should nuclear power development advance.
For Alpas Pinas convenor Gayle Certeza, the forum’s broader objective was not to convert skeptics, but to normalize informed engagement.
“The conversation has started, and that’s what matters,” she said. “Addressing climate change, energy security, and electricity affordability should not be framed as competing goals. Filipinos deserve clean energy that is dependable and accessible.”
Participants capped the session with a guided tour of PNRI’s research and training facilities, including laboratories and reactor training areas, grounding policy discussions in practical exposure to how nuclear science is managed locally.
As the Philippines recalibrates its energy roadmap amid climate pressures and rising demand, the PNRI forum signaled a shift in tone. Nuclear power — long a polarizing subject — is increasingly being discussed not in isolation, but as part of a broader, diversified energy mix.
Whether that conversation translates into policy will depend on legislation, regulatory readiness, financing structures, and public trust. But for one afternoon in Quezon City, environmental advocates and nuclear proponents shared the same room — and the same recognition that the country’s electricity dilemma will not be solved by avoiding difficult debates.
