Time to reconsider using nuclear energy

Congratulations to the Aboitiz Equities Ventures (AEV) for winning the Asian Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Awards 2010 given by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) to recognize Asian companies for their CSR Initiatives. AEV’s “Race to Reduce” campaign bagged the Environmental Excellence Category during the Asian CSR Awards held in Kuala Lumpur. There are five categories in this award for CSR Initiatives, namely: Environmental Excellence, Poverty Alleviation, Support and Improvement of Education, Concern for Health and Best Workplace Practices.

The competition received 141 entries representing 99 companies coming from 15 countries, so AEV’s winning the Environmental Excellence Category wasn’t a walk in the park. The beauty of these competitions is that, it motivates companies to do more and excel in their respective fields of endeavors. I’m sure that AEV should also have easily won in the Support and Improvement of Education category with its full support to improve education not only in Cebu, but throughout the country as well.

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During the Korean conflict in the 50’s, the Philippines was just recovering from the ravages of World War II, trying to get back on its feet, which was destroyed by the war. Though our economy was in tatters, the reconstruction period at least spurred some kind of economic activity that placed the Philippines second only to Japan vs. the Asian economies. By the 70’s the Philippines was already on its feet, having fully recovered from World War II but Vietnam, our ASEAN neighbor was in the midst of the Vietnam war that pitted the Communist side against the South Vietnamese that was supported by the Americans. We all know who won in that conflict.

A few days ago, Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III was in Vietnam for the ASEAN Summit. He admitted that we need to learn from the Vietnamese on how to grow and improve our rice production. P.Noy left Vietnam last Sunday for the All Saints Day celebration. The very next day, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung announced that during his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan in Hanoi, Japan agreed to supply Vietnam its second Nuclear Powered Plant in a deal that would need the approval of the Tokyo Diet on Atomic cooperation.

Just imagine, 30 years ago, we considered Vietnam as a country that was behind us in the 70’s thanks to the Vietnam war; but now they are getting its second nuclear plant which is expected to be completed by year 2021. Meanwhile, we Filipinos continue to suffer through rotational brownouts and power outages. Just last Monday, Department of Energy (DoE) Secretary Rene Almendras announced in a press statement that came out in The Philippine Star that there will be a power shortage in Luzon by the Year 2011. What a way for the P.Noy administration to greet the New Year under its watch!

Supposedly, the Aquino Administration was voted into office on the platform of hope from a very hopeful Filipino people. That hope also means, helping fix whatever is wrong with this country. Lack of power is one serious problem that has helped drag our economy and prevented it from moving forward. Thus, many pundits believe that the time has come for the Philippines to get serious in bringing back nuclear power to our shores.

Back in 1986, Pres. Cory Aquino, the mother of Pres. Noy scrapped our Bataan Nuclear Powered Plant (BNPP) as it was suspected to be a corrupt, rotten deal hatched by then Pres. Ferdinand Marcos. This was pointed out by the opposition then, many of whom were leftists and communists who didn’t want the Philippine economy to grow, lest these people become irrelevant when the economy most faster.

But because of our false sense of Filipino pride, Tita Cory did not only scrap the BNPP, she made sure that we paid Westinghouse of the United States for building the nuclear plant. It’s akin to buying a brand new car, but we didn’t use it because we didn’t like the seller but we paid for it anyway! So today, the Philippines continues to suffer from brownouts because of our politicians’ vengeful attitude against the Marcoses (which is why Tita Cory scrapped the BNPP). Worse, is the lack of foresight by our politicos. In short, we are the biggest losers in this stupid political game.

Vietnam’s nuclear plant will operate by the Year 2021, but in this country, no politician would dare make plans that far away. Now, will P.Noy agree to allow a nuclear plant for the Philippines? If he truly wants to fix the problems of our country, even to the point of agreeing with most of us that his mother seriously erred in scrapping the BNPP, then there is still hope that our country can move forward with the rest of ASEAN.

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