President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is keen on forging a partnership with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. (ENEC) as the Philippine government explores adding nuclear energy to the country’s power generation mix.
During a courtesy call at Malacañang, Marcos expressed to Mohamed Al Hammadi, ENEC’s chairman and CEO, the government’s interest in pursuing nuclear energy options. “This is a subject that we have been discussing for a long time. Especially after the pandemic, it has become a very high priority. I hope we can find ways to help each other in this,” Marcos said.
In late June, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, along with Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, Special Envoy to the UAE Kathryna Yu-Pimentel, Special Envoy to China for Trade, Investments and Tourism Benito Techico, Maharlika Investment Corp. president Rafael Consing Jr., and Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Alfonso Ver, visited the UAE and met with ENEC officials.
During the meeting, Cojuangco and Hammadi informed the First Lady that they had extended an invitation for President Marcos to join the International Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy – 2024 Objectives at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this September. The declaration aims to triple global nuclear energy capacity by 2050.
The First Lady assured them that she would discuss the invitation with the President, noting that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is currently gathering inputs from relevant agencies regarding the Philippines’ potential participation.
In May, representatives from the Board of Investments held discussions with UAE companies on possible investment opportunities in the Philippines, particularly in the clean energy sector.
