Going Nuclear Will Alleviate Poverty and Create Jobs, Says Philippine Chamber of Commerce

PRESS RELEASE

Going Nuclear Will Alleviate Poverty and Create Jobs, Says Philippine Chamber of Commerce

Dec. 6, 2016 (EIRNS)—The 100-plus-year-old, highly respected Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands (CCPI) has been on a campaign to restart that nation’s nuclear program, seeing the potential for a change in policy with the election of Rodrigo Duterte as President. Duterte, himself, at first wavered on the question of completing the Bataan nuclear power plant, under pressure from domestic anti-nukes, but has now asserted that he will do what is necessary to open the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant and proceed with nuclear power development.

In a statement reported in today’s Business Inquirer, the Chamber states that activating the Bataan plant, which was complete when the 1986 coup against President Ferdinand Marcos stopped the project, would help lower local electricity costs, which are the highest in Asia, after Japan (which imports all of its energy resources).

"Studies show that nuclear energy is the cheapest source of electricity: 79% cheaper than oil, 78% cheaper than gas, and 23% cheaper than coal."

They continue:

"To improve the quality of life with lower electricity cost, the convenience of modern life will become more affordable for use by the people."

They state that restarting the nuclear program will also create jobs and alleviate poverty. "The country has the highest unemployment rate in ASEAN," the Chamber says. They report that from being number one in ASEAN in per-capita income, the Philippines is now number five. To counter the fear-mongering about nuclear, they state that the Bataan plant has "sister-clone plants operating safely in Korea, Slovenia, and Brazil for over 30 years."

The move forward in the Philippines in nuclear would be important for many of the other Asian nations now considering their first nuclear power plant.