The imperative of nuke power

By Mark O. Cojuangco
Representative, 5th District of Pangasinan
House of Representatives

MY enthusiasm for all things mechanical and technical has motivated me to become familiar with nuclear energy and the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).

This developed into a desire to translate into layman’s terms the background of nuclear energy, sometimes a tad too technical and foreign for the public. I would like to help put an end to the mindless regurgitation of anti-nuke propaganda in favor of logic and rational thinking.

Allow me to answer a few of the many points raised against nuclear energy in general and the BNPP in particular as a layman who sees the promise of this technology for the country’s development.

Environment, safety

There are two choices left to consider when it comes to efficient power generation—one is to continue with our traditional way of burning fossil fuels (accounting for approximately 65 percent of our current source) and, two, to go nuclear.

Abono wants tariff reimposed on wheat

ROSALES, PANGASINAN – The Abono Partylist group has asked the government to reimpose tariff on wheat to prevent farm gate prices of local corn from sliding down and to protect farmers from incurring huge losses.

Ponciano Onia, Abono Partylist president, said the harvest season for corn has just begun but its farm gate prices have gone down from P13.50 a kilogram (kg) last week to P12.30 a kg at present.

“We are asking the government to impose a 30 percent tariff on wheat before it’s too late. Corn harvest for Luzon starts from mid-February to April. If the farm gate prices of corn will go up to P13 a kg, farmers can still plant corn this March,” Onia said.

The import duties on wheat was brought down to zero after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed an execuive order last November. The government’s move was meant to secure supply, help lower prices and prevent smuggling. The tariff on wheat used to be five to seven percent..

The Philippines resumed buying wheat for feed last October, purchasing about 120,000 tons from the Ukraine.
But following a drop in global prices, Onia said the government could import more this year.