We are glad that President Bongbong Marcos, Jr. has remained focused on addressing the country’s major concerns even as the noise in the legislature, fueled by controversies, goes on at higher decibels. This is both inspiring and assuring. The President has shown that he is not distracted by the political noise and that he continues to attend to the nation’s priorities.

Among these priorities is energy sufficiency and the country’s bid to move away from traditional power generation technologies and expand our adoption of renewable energy.

Last week, the President signed Republic Act No. 12305 or the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act. The law provides for the creation of the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority. This is the regulatory agency that will oversee the establishment and operation of nuclear power plants in the country.

According to the President, the creation of the regulatory body will ensure that “people and the environment are protected from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation, issuing licenses for nuclear-related activities, and ensuring compliance with international commitments such as those with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

With this move, the President has sent clear signals that the country is now ready to adopt and use nuclear power technology in the generation of much-needed electricity for homes, industries, and businesses. Once again, the President has underscored that the direction of the energy sector is to move away from the use of coal and fossil fuels in power generation.

It is both interesting and historically significant that the President should be reigniting the vision formed by his father, the late President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr., under whose administration the Westinghouse nuclear power plant in Morong, Bataan, was built in the 1970s.

Unfortunately, the project was met with strong opposition. The vehement objection was, in part, fueled by the incident at Three Mile Island in the US. The nuclear reactor of the plant was damaged. Radiation, however, was contained, and no real effect on people and the environment was reported.

The incident served as a platform for the opposition to the much-vilified project. It was eventually shelved. Last we heard, the Morong plant is on “moth-balled” status under the National Power Corporation. The government is still incurring costs for keeping the moths out of the structure.

It looks like the nuclear power landscape has changed. Studies show that people and countries are now more receptive to the idea of generating electricity using this technology despite the Chernobyl and Fukushima incidents.

According to the International Energy Forum, several factors contribute to the growing receptivity. Among them are the advanced design of the nuclear reactors, smarter manufacturing, the ongoing development of safer and more efficient nuclear fuels, and the effort to develop safer, longterm nuclear waste containers.

We understand that some of the local power industry leaders are looking at a model called “small modular reactor.” This is a smaller reactor whose parts can be manufactured in factories, shipped for onsite assembly, and then operated more safely than traditional reactors. Among these leaders, the Aboitiz Group expressed the clearest intention to consider this technology, particularly for “off-grid” or far-flung areas that do not have access to a regular power supply.

The Pangilinan Group has also taken the first steps. We understand that it has tied up with global academic institutions to help its work force learn the rudiments of operating and managing nuclear power plants.

According to reports, there are now a total of 31 countries operating nuclear power plants.

There are a total of 416 nuclear power plants operating in the world today, with the most number located in the United States, followed by France and China, and then by Russia, South Korea, and India.

Some 62 more such plants are under construction today, with the most number located in China, followed by India.

We do not know exactly when the country might start benefitting from electricity produced by nuclear power plants. What we know is that it is now possible that this could happen in the not-so-distant future.

Meanwhile, local communities like Rizal Province continue to welcome the entry of power plants that are using renewable, clean, and sustainable energy sources. At the top of the list are wind and solar power plants, both of which are now hosted in growing numbers by the province. Added to these are biomass energy through a refuse-derived fuel processing facility, and soon, a hydropower plant in Montalban—further strengthening Rizal’s role as a hub for green energy development.

We understand that newly appointed Energy Secretary Sharon Garin is, herself, an advocate of renewable energy. The President has chosen the right person to implement his vision and strategy for energy sufficiency driven by renewable and environmentally friendly technologies.

We salute the President for this bold initiative, which will surely not be spared from the usual criticism. Regardless of what naysayers might do, this is definitely a step in the right direction.