INAPRUBAHAN ng Kamara de Representantes sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ang panukala na sususog sa pagnanais ng administrasyong Marcos na malinang ang paggamit ng nuclear energy sa bansa.

Ang panukalang Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act o House Bill (HB) No. 9293 ay nakakuha ng 200 kontra pitong boto at dalawang abstentions sa sesyon ng plenaryo nitong Miyerkules.

Layunin ng panukala na makagawa ng legal framework na siyang mangangasiwa sa paggamit ng nuclear energy sa bansa.

Kasama sa HB No.9293 ang pagtatayo ng Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority o PhilATOM.

“The PhilATOM shall have sole and exclusive jurisdiction to exercise regulatory control for the peaceful, safe, and secure uses of nuclear energy and radiation sources in the Philippines,” ani Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.

“This is the first step toward realizing our dream of energy security. We share this bold but promising vision of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr. to look into nuclear energy seriously,” dagdag pa ni Speaker Romualdez.

Kabilang sa mga pangunahing may-akda ng panukala sina Reps. Mark Cojuangco, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Manuel Jose Dalipe, Sonny Lagon, PM Vargas, Ralph Recto, Jurdin Jesus Romualdo, LRay Villafuerte, Joey Salceda, Robert Ace Barbers, Eleandro Jesus Madrona, Erwin Tulfo, Franz Pumaren, Ron Salo, Dan Fernandez, Divina Grace Yu, Mario Vittorio Mariño, Rufus Rodriguez, Carlito Marque, Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo, Jeyzel Victoria Yu, Gus Tambunting, at iba pa.

“Indeed, to embrace change is to embrace the future,” saad pa ng lider ng Kamara na mayroong mahigit 300 miyembro.

Sa ilalim ng panukala ang regulatory functions ng Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) ay ililipat sa PhilATOM.

Ang regulatory function ng Radiation Regulation Division of the Center for Device Regulation, Radiation, Health and Research ng Department of Health – Food and Drug Administration ay ililipat din sa PhilATOM.

Itatayo rin ang PhilATOM Council na siyang gagawa ng mga polisiya sa paggamit ng nuclear energy sa bansa.

“The PhilATOM Council shall be the highest body of the Authority. The PhilATOM Council shall be comprised of the DG (director general) and the DDGs (deputy director generals). The DG shall be the Chairperson of the PhilATOM Council,” sabi sa panukala.

Inaatasan din ang PhilATOM na makipag-ugnayan sa International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) na nakabase sa Vienna, Austria, ng sentro ng kooperasyon sa mundo sa larangan ng nukleyar.

“The Authority shall establish a system of control over radioactive sources and devices in which such sources are incorporated to ensure that they are safely managed and securely protected during their useful lives and at the end of their useful lives, by the recommendations and guidance of the International Commission on Radiological Protection and implementation of the relevant requirements of the IAEA,” sabi pa sa panukala.