Church group alarmed over Marcos’ push for nuclear energy

MANILA, Philippines — The InterReligious Leaders’ Council for National Transformation (ILCNT) yesterday expressed concern over a statement of President Marcos to revisit a proposal on the use of nuclear energy to bring down the cost of electricity. In a statement, ILCNT convenor and Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said the group welcomes Marcos’ announcement during his State of the Nation Address to amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, and remove the system loss charges in the power bill. “Ordinary households should not bear the costs of inefficiencies beyond their control,” said Bagaforo, who is also the chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)- Episcopal Commission on Interreligious Dialogue. “While this reform deserves commendation, we remain concerned that the administration continues to promote natural gas, nuclear power and waste-to-energy technologies as part of the country’s energy future,” he added. He said that if the government is serious about addressing the climate crisis, protecting biodiversity and defending human rights, its energy policies must not solve one crisis by creating another.