Townfolk support nuke plant opening

MORONG, Bataan: A big number of Morong residents on Saturday for the first time gathered at the town plaza, urging the government to activate the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) in Napot Point here. The plaza had also been the venue for anti-BNPP protest actions.

Rep. Mark Cojuangco of Tarlac, principal author of a resolution in Congress that seeks the activation of the mothballed plant, explained that the residents wanted to disprove claims that all of Morong oppose the nuclear power plant.

“Nagsama-sama, nagtipon-tipon ang mga pro-BNPP para magkaalaman na at ipakitang hindi naman pala kami nag-iisa sapagkat kung pakikinggan ang sinasabi ng mga tutol sa plantang nukleyar, wala raw kahit isang tao sa Morong na sumusuporta sa pagbubukas nito (Those in favor of the activation of the BNPP assembled to show that they were among those who want the nuclear plant to open),” the congressman said.

Cojuangco said that he was waiting for the House Committee on Rules to return his resolution to the plenary so that he can deliver his sponsorship speech and for the debate and interpellation to begin.

Morong Vice-Mayor Jose Calma said that after serious study, he decided to back the activation of the plant that according to him would be a big help to the livelihood of the townfolk.

“Sobra na ang hirap sa kabuhayan ng aming mga kababayan at walang pag-unlad na mangyayari sa aming bayan kung lagi na lamang tututulan ang mga mga proyektong tulad ng BNPP (Morong residents are suffering economically and no progress would happen if we kept on opposing projects like the BNPP),” he added.

Calma said that majority of the mountain town’s population of about 35,000 wants the nuclear plant to be activated.

On allegations that the plant lies above an earthquake fault, making it dangerous to operate, the vice-mayor pointed out that the government will not permit the BNPP to function if it is not safe.

“Sa ibang bansa ay maraming plantang nukleyar at ang mga ito ay nagsisiunlad (There are many nuclear plants in other countries and these countries have progressed),” Calma said.

Eduardo Esguerra and other councilmen of Morong’s Binaritan village and young rallyists shared the vice-mayor’s view that it was time for the plant to be opened.

The demonstrators carried placards that read “Kahirapan katakutan, hindi ang plantang nukleyar (Fear poverty, not the nuclear plant)” and “No to fear, Yes to Energy-No to Poverty, Yes to BNPP.”

Cojuangco said that the BNPP has to be activated for Bataan at least to be able to face an impending power shortage in the Luzon grid of 3,000 megawatts by 2012. “The power crisis will trigger a second economic crisis,” he warned.

The congressman said the operation of the plant will mean a P75-million yearly tax income for Morong and the generation of jobs with P12 billion in salaries annually.

Cojuangco added that new studies showed that there is no such earthquake fault below the BNPP and that the plant was designed to withstand any seismic activity. “Kasinungalingan kung may magsasabing may fault sa ilalim ng planta (Anyone who says that there is such fault is lying),” he added. –Ernie B. Esconde, Correspondent, Manila Times