BALANGA CITY – The call “to bury” the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in Napot Pt. at the Bataan mountain town of Morong has snowballed with the gathering in a symposium Monday afternoon of anti-nuclear veterans and new generation of advocates for a new fight against the re-commissioning of what they call “ the monster of Morong”.
After the forum that lasted from 1:00 to 5:30 in the afternoon, about 500 people joined the torch parade around the major streets in the City of Balanga. Chants of “Tutulan BNPP” filled the air.
Monsignor Antonio Dumaual, lawyer Dante Ilaya, University of the Philippines Professor Roland Simbulan and Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio led the anti-nuke veterans in the forum with a new crop of advocates. Some nuns were seen in the forum and in the torch parade.
Dumaual, former chairperson of the Nuclear Free Bataan Movement in the 1980s threatened to go back to the streets and conduct “welgang bayan” that they did at the height of the struggle against the BNPP.
“Pero, sana naman makinig na ang gobyerno para hindi na maulit ang malawakang protesta tulad noon,” the priest of the Hermosa (Bataan) parish said. Speakers reminisced the past on how they participated in mass actions all over Bataan. Some pictures of the protest actions were shown.
Dumaual said the call against the re-commissioning of the nuclear power plant began after Bishop Socrates Villegas issued three pastoral statements condemning the revival of the BNPP. The pastoral letters were read in masses for the second Sunday already.
The third statement will be read this coming Sunday after which the following Monday (February 23), a prayer rally will be held in front of the St. Joseph Cathedral in Balanga City.
Monsignor Dumaual said the International Atomic Energy Commission has found 4,000 defects in the BNPP “with some defects that can no longer be remedied.” The participants in the forum signed a giant “Statement against revival of BNPP.”
Panlilio said he has been against the nuclear plant since he was a seminarian. “Tutol ako noon at tutol pa rin ako ngayon,” he said. The priest turned politician said the BNPP was marred with anomalies after anomalies. He said the plant stands at an earthquake fault dangerous not only for the people of Bataan but for most of Central Luzon.
“Wala pang kakayahan sa science ng nuclear ang Pilipinas at saan dadalhin ang nuclear wastes?,” the Pampanga governor said. He called on every one to unite and register their voices against the BNPP. “Hindi lamang mga taga-Bataan ang magbabayad ng uutangin na namang $1 bilyon kundi ang lahat ng mga Pilipinong taxpayers,” Panlilio said.
Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia has also registered his sentiment against the opening of the BNPP. “Tanungin muna natin ang taong-bayan at sila ang dapat masunod,” he said.
After the forum that lasted from 1:00 to 5:30 in the afternoon, about 500 people joined the torch parade around the major streets in the City of Balanga. Chants of “Tutulan BNPP” filled the air.
Monsignor Antonio Dumaual, lawyer Dante Ilaya, University of the Philippines Professor Roland Simbulan and Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio led the anti-nuke veterans in the forum with a new crop of advocates. Some nuns were seen in the forum and in the torch parade.
Dumaual, former chairperson of the Nuclear Free Bataan Movement in the 1980s threatened to go back to the streets and conduct “welgang bayan” that they did at the height of the struggle against the BNPP.
“Pero, sana naman makinig na ang gobyerno para hindi na maulit ang malawakang protesta tulad noon,” the priest of the Hermosa (Bataan) parish said. Speakers reminisced the past on how they participated in mass actions all over Bataan. Some pictures of the protest actions were shown.
Dumaual said the call against the re-commissioning of the nuclear power plant began after Bishop Socrates Villegas issued three pastoral statements condemning the revival of the BNPP. The pastoral letters were read in masses for the second Sunday already.
The third statement will be read this coming Sunday after which the following Monday (February 23), a prayer rally will be held in front of the St. Joseph Cathedral in Balanga City.
Monsignor Dumaual said the International Atomic Energy Commission has found 4,000 defects in the BNPP “with some defects that can no longer be remedied.” The participants in the forum signed a giant “Statement against revival of BNPP.”
Panlilio said he has been against the nuclear plant since he was a seminarian. “Tutol ako noon at tutol pa rin ako ngayon,” he said. The priest turned politician said the BNPP was marred with anomalies after anomalies. He said the plant stands at an earthquake fault dangerous not only for the people of Bataan but for most of Central Luzon.
“Wala pang kakayahan sa science ng nuclear ang Pilipinas at saan dadalhin ang nuclear wastes?,” the Pampanga governor said. He called on every one to unite and register their voices against the BNPP. “Hindi lamang mga taga-Bataan ang magbabayad ng uutangin na namang $1 bilyon kundi ang lahat ng mga Pilipinong taxpayers,” Panlilio said.
Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia has also registered his sentiment against the opening of the BNPP. “Tanungin muna natin ang taong-bayan at sila ang dapat masunod,” he said.
