Nuclear Power Plant to Operate Soon....

The bataan nuclear power plant was built in the 70s when I was in grade 3. Back then a lot of people are opposing the operation. My young mind accepted these arguments in not letting the nuclear plant go online. In my young age I was very much against Marcos. Now I'm in my 40s and an Electrical Engineer. After working in several countries it is only now that I learned to appreciate Marcos vision for the Philippines. Majority of the roads, establishments, hospitals and government agencies we have now are still from the Marcos era. Establishing a nuclear power plant will definitely solve much of the Philippine energy crisis but it will also enable our nuclear capability. Looking back, the 70s were rough times. The cold war was still present then and us having access to nuclear material, we will be a player in the cold war. Now look at Pakistan and India. It was only about 5 years now since they have tested their own nuclear missiles whose material came from their nuclear plants. These two countries have nukes aimed at each other for God's sake. Had we activated our nuclear plant back then maybe we are now a developed country. But it is definitely clear that somebody does not want us developed. Maybe it is also correct that we did not have access to nuclear capabilities given our turbulent politics and coup de tats. We will just put everyone uneasy with a our capability to destroy.

I would be the one to oppose that move because of what you've said that our geological instability and even with the fail safe assurances that engineering technology can offer I guess no one has beaten nature when it comes to earthquakes. Another problem I see is the nuclear waste it will produce. They say that it is more cleaner than oil but its nuclear waste is just as dirty because it takes about a hundred years before radiation is totally diminish. America is having lots of deserts to bury their waste how about us can we just bury the waste just in our dumpsites? I guess not. We have limited lands to really keep this underground.

I was young then when the issue of white elephant nuclear plant the philippines has, later due to public clamor it was demolished. I would like appreciate Pres Marcos with a vision to develop the land , unfortunately he failed.Those times, the philippines was said to be the finest in asia, neighboring countries come here and study and going back they applied these knowledge to their home land. I have seen development on other countries and they are really admirable, a city in Italy was supposed to be under water by now but their people have used their intelligence to solve the problem, they moved mountains to barricade a vast of sea to prevent it from flooding, tunnels beneath the sea are excavated to connect two different countries. Singapore is amazingly beautiful and green to protect the land. Malaysia is proud to say they had the tallest building in the world. Hongkong China, thailand are silent with their improved lives. But Manila can only be proud of the biggest mall in ASia. But we always oppose our government plans contributing to development because we are afraid, because of the chernobyl case, remember that even US, Japan or Russia have experienced mistakes and by way of mistakes they learned to become more efficient to avoid another mistakes. But most countries now have nuclear plants to sustain their energy requirements. For the Philippines was we are always afraid, we are afraid still to venture on matters contributing to development. Soon oil will begone, we have other resources but will it sustain our necessities? I dont know either. However, I am not saying that I am in favor for the Philippines to have nuclear plant now since we cannot even manage our garbage efficiently. Once in my life i was sent to study in Japan, they showed me to their different universities, i saw their nuclear schools, they let their students to explore posibilities, they allowed me to visit their nuclear ship but most most of all they teach their student . And thats the way to start, we must have a nuclear school to learn it, we select deserving student with minds, I know there are lots of genius kids. By then efficient and safe working style is mastered by them. In such a way that we are not worrying of the inevitable, we can go to sleep without wories, at the same time we are not to much relying on foreign consultants and experts. Or else , we will always remain poor underdeveloped as seen by our neighbors. But just the same, no matter how poor we are I will always love this hoemeland of mine. I love the Philippines.

Another thing to worry is the quality of the plant. Politician in the Philippines care less on the other things but is more interested in corruption. Sub standard materials for the refurbishing of the plant with enormously high pricing(as if the right price is declared) for the sole purpose of earning more than what one should earn(greedy, I'm sick of them). Aside this, one headache the Filipino politicians give its people is that they don't have sufficient feasibility studies for their project that eventually go to waste(thanks to their creed: more projects, more profit. See how frustrating?). In this a sensitive case, we need to carefully consider everything that is to consider, if we want a safe power harnessing plant around. Take note that Bataan is near Metro Manila and that a failed nuclear power plant can destroy within a great radius. Not to mention the radiation that is highly carcinogenic(that we can be sure of). While they can just live somewhere else(money is never an issue to them). They may even live abroad if such horrible thing broke out. What about the masses? They will suffer the most. I can trust a mature political system but never that of the Philippines. Just by discussing this made me feel more worried. You mentioned geography but that is not really a problem specially when we make good plans. there are so many wonders in engineering lately that can solve the problem you raise. Its the greedy that I worry more.