2009 R - 28 - OPPOSING THE COMMISSIONING OF THE MOTH-BALLED BATAAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

EXCERPTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF OLONGAPO, HELD ON MARCH 04, 2009 AT THE CITY HALL.

PRESENT:

Hon. Cynthia G. Cajudo - City Vice-Mayor & Presiding Officer
Hon. Gina Gulanes-Perez - - - City Councilor
Hon. John Carlos G. Delos Reyes- - - “ “
Hon. Rodel S. Cerezo - - - “ “
Hon. Sarah Lugerna Lipumano-Garcia- “ “
Hon. Edwin J. Piano - - - - - “ “
Hon. Angelito W. Baloy - - - “ “
Hon. Aquilino Y. Cortez, Jr.- - - - “ “
Hon. Anselmo A. Aquino- - - “ “
Hon. Elena C. Dabu- - - - - “ “
Hon. Jonathan G. Manalo- - “ “
Hon. Carlito A. Baloy - - President, Liga ng mga Barangay
Hon. Cheenee F. Hoya- - - SK Federation President

ABSENT:

None.


RESOLUTION NO. 28
(Series of 2009)

A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE COMMISSIONING OF THE MOTH-BALLED BATAAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

WHEREAS, the Philippine nuclear program started in 1958 with the creation of the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) under Republic Act 2067.Under a regime of martial law, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos in July 1973 announced the decision to build a nuclear power plant.This was in response to the 1973 oil crisis, as the Middle East oil embargo had put a heavy strain on the Philippine economy, and Marcos believed nuclear power to be the solution to meeting the country's energy demands and decreasing dependence on imported oil;

WHEREAS, construction on the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant began in 1976 and was completed in 1984 at a cost of $2.3 billion. A Westinghouse light water reactor, it was designed to produce 621 megawatts of electricity;

WHEREAS, following the 1979 Three Mile Island accident in the United Sates, construction on the BNPP was stopped, and a subsequent safety inquiry into the plant revealed over 4,000 defects. It was built near major earthquake fault lines and close to the then dormant Pinatubo volcano;

WHEREAS, between 1993 and 1995, M.E.T.T.S. undertook a study of the options for converting the Bataan Nuclear Power Station to fossil fuel (coal or natural gas) combustion. One aim of the study was to find another market for Philippine and Australian coal or natural gas (LNG);

WHEREAS, the Philippine Government has previously stated that the Philippines will have nuclear power, but that power will come from new plant and not the Bataan reactor. President Ramos announced on the 8th October 1994 that the Reactor would be converted to a 1000MW combined cycle gas plant. (Although an announcement for a specific conversion scheme has been made, it is still considered that there is time for other options to be considered.);

WHEREAS, the BNPP’s tainted history is already a hard lesson on how the pursuit of nuclear power has been a gargantuan and unjust burden on Filipinos. Even now, with moves for its revival heralding what appears to be aggressive plans for a national nuclear program, nuclear power may become the altar upon which this country will bankrupt itself;

WHEREAS, the real solutions to the climate change and energy security is renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, the cheapest and safest sources of power available, and the least greenhouse gas intensive. The potential for renewable energy in the Philippines is vast and far greater than that of nuclear power or fossil fuels. To re-commission the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant is an unwise proposal given our proven renewable energy potential. The Philippine government already chose the right direction with the Renewable Energy Law. Instead of walking into the nuclear trap, our country should now show commitment as an innovator in the ASEAN region, and act as a pioneer and example to the world;

WHEREAS, renewable energy and energy efficiency have already proven themselves as credible and realistic. Every dollar spent on nuclear power will stand in the way of securing a safe future, thousands of green jobs and energy independence in the Philippines;

NOW, THEREFORE, on motion of Councilor John Carlos de los Reyes, with the unanimous accord of the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod present,

RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, by the Sangguniang Panlungsod in session assembled to oppose, as it hereby opposes the commissioning of the moth-balled Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, March 04, 2009.


CYNTHIA G. CAJUDO
City Vice-Mayor & Presiding Officer


GINA GULANES-PEREZ JOHN CARLOS G. DELOS REYES
City Councilor City Councilor


RODEL S. CEREZO SARAH LUGERNA LIPUMANO-GARCIA
City Councilor City Councilor

EDWIN J. PIANO ANGELITO W. BALOY
City Councilor City Councilor

AQUILINO Y. CORTEZ, JR ANSELMO A. AQUINO
City Councilor City Councilor

ELENA C. DABU JONATHAN G. MANALO
City Councilor City Councilor


CARLITO A. BALOY CHEENEE F. HOYA
President, Liga ng mga Barangay SK Federation President


ATTEST:


ELFLIDA S. SALMON
Council Secretary


APPROVED BY HIS HONOR, THE CITY MAYOR ON______________________.



JAMES GORDON, JR.
City Mayor

ATTEST:


DELFIN A. JUICO, JR.
Secretary to the City Mayor

Around 800 volunteers from Greenpeace and the Network Opposed to BNPP (Bataan Nuclear Power Plant) form a giant ‘human banner’ spelling “No to BNPP” in a campus in Quezon City, as a message of solidarity opposing a House bill to revive the mothballed nuclear plant. Greenpeace is calling on Congress representatives not to support the proposal and to withdraw their signatures from the bill which would effectively lock Filipinos into dependence on the world’s most unsafe and most expensive source of electricity.