The government said it will apply international laws in looking at possible sites for nuclear facilities such the proposed modular nuclear energy plant in Sulu province.
Energy Undersecretary Jesus Posadas said the government had yet to come out with a national policy on the use of nuclear for power generation, the first prerequisite to put up a nuclear power plant.
The Philippines, together with other Asean member states, tackled the security of nuclear sources during the 7th Nuclear Energy Cooperation and Sub-Sector Network three-day meeting.
“The Philippines being a latecomer to the nuclear, in a sense that we did not operate our nuclear, we can implement all of the safeguards, all improvements that has happened in the years passed. Also in terms of technology, which has undergone such huge steps, we can leapfrog to the latest version,” Posadas told reporters.
The Philippines mothballed the 600-megawatt Bataan nuclear power plant in the late 1980s due to safety concerns.
“The Philippine government has imposed, self imposed compliance to the International Atomic Energy Agency. We have to have a national position first but we are still moving towards that,” Posadas said.
The local government of Sulu expressed willingness to host a modular nuclear energy facility of less than 100 megawatts in capacity. “Discussions on nuclear energy as well as radioactive sources tend to attract issues on security. We are cognizant of this and must admit that this issue cannot be discounted as people and the environment must always be protected,” Posadas said earlier.
