Senator Risa Hontiveros has expressed her full opposition on the Philippine government’s plans to revive the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), citing that it will affect the environment and health of the Filipino public.
“Reviving the BNPP will pose greater risks and costs to the environment, as well as to the health and livelihood of our people. Mas magiging pabigat pa ito sa mga Pilipino,” said Sen. Hontiveros in a video published at ABS-CBN News.
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Hontiveros suggested that the government should focus instead safer, renewable energy resources that the Philippines has: “Pagtuunan natin ng pansin ang mas ligtas, mas mura at mas pang matagalang renewable energy source gaya ng geothermal, solar, at wind na mas mayaman dito sa Pilipinas.”
The senator recalls that she first opposed the plans during her high school days and couldn’t believe when she heard that there were plans to revive the nuclear plant once again.
“Isa sa mga unang exposure ko sa pagsusulong ng adbokasiya ang kampanya laban sa Bataan Nuclear Power Plant during my high school days. A few decades later, hindi ako makapaniwala na binubuhay pa rin ang ‘pagbuhay’ sa Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, especially at this time of crisis na marami ang nagugutom at nagkakasakit,” said Hontiveros.
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She hopes that the plans will not proceed, so that another possible crisis could be avoided.
“Moving forward, we want a new, better and improved normal. We don’t want another crisis to happen,” said Hontiveros.
Watch her message here:
Sen @risahontiveros opposes the idea of reviving the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP). | via @sherieanntorres pic.twitter.com/qajlbXhbzw
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) October 5, 2020
