BALANGA CITY – The Sangguniang Bayan of Morong, Bataan on Monday, June 22, passed a Non-Nuclear Zone Ordinance prohibiting the construction and operation of nuclear power facilities and the storage of radioactive materials within the municipality.
Morong is the site of the mothballed 620-megawatt Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) which operation or repurposing for other forms of energy have been advocated by some sectors and national officials.
Nuclear-Free Bataan Movement (NFBM) vice chair Julito Velasco said the ordinance was in response to growing concerns over nuclear safety and the potential environmental and public health risks associated with nuclear energy and radioactive waste.
Noting that the passage of the ordinance coincided with the 41st anniversary of the “Welga ng Bayan Laban sa BNPP,” Velasco said provincial and local officials in Bataan have registered strong opposition to the revival of the BNPP.
Derek Cabe, NFBM spokesperson, said that after more than four decades, the resistance of the communities against the revival of the BNPP continues.
“The move to resurrect the mothballed BNPP, along with emerging proposals to introduce nuclear technologies such as small modular reactors, reaffirms the strong condemnation by the residents of Bataan,” Cabe said.
“The spirit of the Welga ng Bayan 40 years ago re-echoes its historical significance as the proposed sites are in danger of becoming sacrifice zones, and as the country battles dangerous frontiers involving renewed interest in going nuclear,” she said.
Cabe said the ordinance aligns with this year’s theme of the NFBM forum – “End Nuclear Now: From the Wisdom of the Past towards the Safety of Future”.
