Duterte hopes next administration will look into use of nuclear power

President Rodrigo Duterte urged the incoming administration to look into the use of nuclear energy as the country’s possible energy source amid the continuing rise in fuel prices due to the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

“We’re not yet dito sa nuclear level but I hope the next administration would at least explore now the possibility of nuclear.. tutal ang nag umpisa nito si Marcos noon. Nagpagawa siya ng nuclear plant,” Duterte said in his weekly “Talk to the People."

“Oil is not infinite, may katapusan ‘yan. It would be good for any government to prepare for the possibility of making transition earlier from oil - ‘yung fossil fuel — to nuclear kasi nuclear is forever. Kaya lang medyo delikado ito,” he said.

(Oil is not infinite,  it will be depleted. It would be good for any government to prepare for the possibility of making a transition earlier from oil - fossil fuel — to nuclear because nuclear is forever. But it is dangerous.)

Duterte is referring to the 620-megawatt nuclear power plant in Bataan province established under the administration of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.

His son and namesake, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., is seen to succeed Duterte and win the 2022 presidential race.

Duterte admitted he does not have the answer to solve the skyrocketing prices of petroleum products, saying there will be no “new normal” if the Russia-Ukraine war will not end.

“Palabas na ako.. ewan ko.. how to solve the problem. You have to solve the war between Ukraine and Russia before you can even talk of even returning to normalcy. Ngayon, it’s a bleak picture kasi mukhang ayaw pa ni Putin hintuan ang giyera,” he said.

(I am exiting… I don’t know how to solve the problem. You have to solve the war between Ukraine and Russia before you can even talk of even returning to normalcy. Now, it’s a bleak picture because it seems Putin doesn’t want to end it yet.)

While he reiterated being a friend to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Duterte criticized the “bombing” of civilians in Ukraine.

“I’m not picking a fight with anybody. I said, Putin is a friend of mine but it is your moral obligation to see to it that the civilians, the innocent ones, children, the elderly, mga babae…vulnerable masyado sila…Ako nasasaktan lang ako sa mga inosente,” he said.

(I’m not picking a fight with anybody. I said, Putin is a friend of mine but it is your moral obligation to see to it that the civilians, the innocent ones, children, the elderly, women…they’re too vulnerable…I am hurting the innocent are being affected.)

Earlier, Duterte asked Filipinos to “pray” the raging military conflict will not lead to nuclear war. He also warned  China might attack the Philippines and Taiwan if it further escalates due to the presence of US forces in the country. —LDF, GMA News