Legal framework for nuclear power needed – Sen. Gatchalian
by: Danessa Rivera

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines needs to finalize the legal framework for the development of nuclear technology as a national power source, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian said the country has yet to ratify three key international nuclear conventions, namely the Convention on Nuclear Safety, the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, and the amendment to the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.

“A strong national framework on nuclear power must be compliant with international standards on safety, security, safeguards, and liability,” said Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate committee on energy.

At present, the country’s only existing nuclear energy body is the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), whose functions center around radiation and nuclear research and development.

“All of the gaps in our nuclear energy legal framework would first need to be addressed by passing comprehensive legislation,” Gatchalian said.

The lawmaker said the country still has a lot to learn from more advanced countries with respect to the development of nuclear power.

“There is a wide range of issues that we need to explore and thresh out before we can accurately measure the true potential of nuclear technology as an alternative energy source in the Philippines,” he said.

If the Philippines should decide to pursue adding nuclear power to the energy mix, a comprehensive legal framework on the use of nuclear power would first need to be crafted to tackle issues, Gatchalian said.

These issues include the structure and powers of the regulatory body; licensing, inspection, and enforcement; radiation protection, sources of radiation and radioactive material, safety of nuclear facilities; emergency preparedness and response; transport of radioactive material, radioactive waste and spent fuel; nuclear liability and coverage, non-proliferation and physical protection; export and import controls and physical protection.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is studying the possibility of adding nuclear power to the country’s energy mix.
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Last month, DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the agency submitted a proposed national policy on nuclear energy to President Duterte for approval.

He said the proposed national policy not only covers the use of the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), but also the development of modular nuclear power plants across the country.

Earlier this year, results of a technical cooperation between DOE and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) showed the use of nuclear power could be a viable long-term energy option for the Philippines.

The report touched on the possible cooperation in other areas, such as human resource development, nuclear safety, legal and regulatory framework, international standards, cooperation with international community, stakeholders involvement and challenges which includes the closure on the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) issue.

The report will be part of the agency’s recommendations, which will be submitted to the President.

Asian delegation from AARNET and BPI hosted by PCAARRD
 By : Estrealla Z. Gallardo
 
The 13th AARNET steering committee hosted by the Philippines this year for three-days included the visit to the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD).
 
The ASEAN-AVRDC’s AARNET is composed of 10 ASEAN countries initiated to improve efficiency in agriculture research specifically on vegetables. The countries composing the group are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam in collaboration with AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center, Taiwan.
 
Dr. Edwin C. Villar, PCAARRD Acting Deputy Executive Director for R&D, welcomed the visitors headed by AARNET Chairman Dr. Leong Hon Keong and officers from AVRDC, Taiwan.
Dr. Villar gave a brief introduction of PCAARRD and its mandate and past partnership made with AVRC, He also mentioned PCAARRD’s current initiatives on recording/documenting indigenous vegetables in the Philippines in a publication which will soon be available for farmers.
 
Noel A. Catibog, Center Manager of DPITC and OIC Director of Technology Transfer and Promotion Division (TTPD), PCAARRD, on the other hand, presented an overview of the DPITC. He discussed DPITC’s functions—its role in technology transfer and commercialization; the services it offers to various clients and; the partnerships and networks it maintains and establishes among research and development institutions (RDIs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and other relevant stakeholders.
Dr. Jocelyn E. Eusebio, Director of Crops Research Division (CRD), PCAARRD, highlighted the accomplishments, current initiatives, and R&D programs of vegetables. She also talked about CRD’s ongoing projects and target outcomes such as increasing vegetable yield in various projects being implemented.
 
Dr. Villar likewise mentioned PCAARRD’s current initiatives on recording/documenting indigenous vegetables in the Philippines in a publication which will soon be available for farmers.
Dr. Villar, Mr. Catibog, Dr. Eusebio, and Ms. Leilani D. Pelegrina, Industry Strategic S&T Program (ISP) Manager in Vegetables, answered the visitors’ questions during the open forum.
The visitors were toured around the DPITC exhibit area and the PCAARRD-BPI Seeds and Seedling Plaza.
 
Dr. Hermenigilda A. Gabertan, Center Chief of the Bureau of Plant Industry-Los Banos National Crop Research, Development and Production Support Center (BPI-LBNCRDPSC) thanked PCAARRD in providing comprehensive information for the AARNET visitors. (PSciJourn MegaManila).

PCAARRD eel R&D to kick off soon in Bicol and Northeastern Luzon provinces
By: Estrella Z. Gallardo
 
Two projects on proposals recently approved by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) on Anguillid eels will kick off soon in Cagayan State University (CSU) Aparri Campus and Bicol University Tabaco Campus (BUTC).
 
The first project led by Dr. Eunice Layugan of CSU Aparri Campus, will study the composition of species and seasonality of eels in the river systems of Northeastern Luzon.
The second project led by Dr. Plutomeo Nieves of BUTC, on the other hand, will study the eel fry fishery in tributaries along Lagonoy Gulf as well as their implications for conservation and management.
The CSU eel project will be conducted in Palauig and Sta. Cruz rivers in Sta. Ana, Cagayan and in Maconacon, Divilican and Palanan rivers in Eastern Isabela. BUTC will focus on major rivers bordering Lagonoy Gulf.
These projects serve as a pioneering research study on eel in these two areas where there are no concrete data on the status of the eel fishery.
 
The data that will be collected in Sta. Ana, Cagayan and Eastern Isabela include seasonal species diversity and abundance; plankton diversity; hydrological factors; physico-chemical water quality parameters that could affect seasonal species abundance; and existing fishing gears. The study will also develop a protocol on eel conditioning from gathering sites prior to transport.
 
For Lagonoy Gulf, data to be collected concerning eel are gathering sites, species composition, seasonal composition and abundance, catching efficiency of collecting gears, postharvest handling and transport, and supply and value chain.
The two approved eel projects will complement the project by the Isabela State University (ISU) under the DOST Niche Center in the Region (NICER) program titled, “Establishment of Freshwater Fisheries Center for Cagayan Valley” on the improvement of the survival of freshwater eel through the use of immunostimulants.
 
The projects are the first step towards a more comprehensive eel R&D that the Inland Aquatic Resources Research Division (IARRD) of PCAARRD prepared in 2017 as part of a Science and Technology Roadmap on biodiversity (PSciJourn MegaManila).

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