Stop that nuclear power gibberish – Pamalakaya
Manila, Philippines – Amid news about President Rodrigo Duterte discussing with the Russian government the option of nuclear power generation in the country, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) slammed it as gibberish and demanded the crossing out that agenda with the foreign country.
“Itigil na iyang kalokohang iyan, dahil malinaw namang trahedya lang ang idudulot niyan sa bansa. Mga malalakas na bagyo nga ay hindi pa nakaka-rekober ang mga mamamayan dahil inutil ang gubyerno sa rehabilitasyon, iyan pang nuclear-nuclear na iyan ang inaatupag nila,” former Anakpawis Party-list Representative and PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson Fernando “Ka Pando” Hicap said in a press statement.
He stressed that the country is a disaster-prone area, primarily due to the geographical features and location, “membership” to the Pacific ring of fire, and social vulnerability of communities. Philvolcs has already reported that 100 to 150 earthquakes per year hound the country with magnitude 4 and above. There were 21 strong earthquakes (magnitude 6.1 and above) since 2001, with the strongest at in 2010 in the Moro Gulf and 2012 in Samar, both with magnitude 7.6. There are 5 active fault lines in the country, namely the Western Philippine Fault, the Eastern Philippine Fault, the South of Mindanao Fault, Central Philippine Fault and the Marikina/Valley Fault System.
“Palagi na lang ang mga sinasatsat ng gubyernong ito ay hindi nakabatay sa syensya at aktwal na kalagayan ng bansa. Gusto yata nitong ipahamak ang maraming mamamayan,” Hicap said.
Based on the hazard map formulated by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the country is predominantly at Degree VII to XII of the modified Mercalli Scale on earthquake intensity. The degree is from severe or “Damage slight in specially designed structures; considerable damage in ordinary substantial buildings with partial collapse” to extreme or “Damage total. Waves seen on ground surfaces. Lines of sight and level distorted. Objects thrown upward into the air.
Moreover, the country on the Saffir-Simpson Scale for Tropical Storm Intensity is at range Category 2 or with maximum sustained winds of 154 to 177 kilometer per hour, to Category 5 or 250 kph and stronger.
“Lindol at bagyo, ay bulnerable ang bansa, ngayon may iniisip pang nuclear ang Duterte government,” Hicap highlighted.
His group is also opposing the agenda as water pollution reaching the ocean is a result of nuclear waste, that threatens marine biodiversity and environment.
“Dumi nga ng tao hindi na-secure ng MWSS at umabot pa sa Manila Bay, radioactive water pa. Ibang bansa nga tulad ng Japan, namo-mroblema kung saan itatapon ang nakakalasong tubig mula sa Fukushima nuclear power plant, tayo pang wala ngang sariling industriya. Kaya tigilan na yang kalokohan na iyan,” Hicap ended. ###
