House creates special panel on nuclear energy

The House of Representatives on Tuesday created a new Special Committee on Nuclear Energy to oversee the production, utilization, and conservation of nuclear energy, including the development of nuclear power infrastructure.

This developed after Senior Deputy Majority Leader Sandro Marcos of Ilocos Norte's motion creating the new committee was approved via viva voce vote by the House during Tuesday's session.

Sandro, son of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., said the new House Nuclear Energy panel would also tackle the interaction of other energy resources with nuclear energy as a reliable, cost-competitive, and environment-friendly energy source.

"[This is] to ensure energy security consistent with the national interest and state's policy of freedom from nuclear weapons," Sandro said.

Sandro then moved to elect Rep. Mark Cojuangco of Pangasinan, a longtime nuclear power advocate, as the chairperson of the new House nuclear energy panel.

Cojuangco welcomed the move, saying that nuclear energy was key in providing a cheap, reliable, and safe power source.

"Naalipin [ang tao] ng mahal, kulang at di maasahang kuryente na madumi at mapangwasak sa ating kalikasan. Walang ibang paraan sa paglikha ng ganitong klaseng kuryente [na] mura, malinis at nanatiling reliable kung hindi nuclear energy," Cojuangco said.

(The public has been enslaved to expensive, limited, and unreliable electricity that pollutes and is harmful to the environment. There is no other way to generate a cheap, clean, and reliable energy resource than with nuclear energy.)

"Panahon na po na ang bawat dumarating ng pangangailangan sa pag-generate ng kuryente ay masagot ng nuclear power plants," Cojuangco added.

(The time has come for us to beef up our power generation with nuclear power plants.)

Cojuangco said his committee will also embark on a public information drive on the benefits of nuclear power and come up with legislation that would establish nuclear power plants. — DVM, GMA News