Marcos eyes strong

July, the President said that should the country opt to use nuclear energy under his term, the government will use the guidelines adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“I believe that it is time also to reexamine our strategy toward building nuclear power plants in the Philippines. We will comply, of course, with the International Atomic Energy Agency regulations for nuclear power plants as they have been strengthened after Fukushima,” Marcos told lawmakers.

He admitted that while innovations would allow power plants to utilize nuclear energy on a smaller scale, funding could be an issue.

“In the area of nuclear power, there have been new technologies developed that [allow] smaller scale, modular, nuclear plants and other derivations thereof. Once again, PPPs (public-private partnerships) will play a part in support as funding in this period is limited,” he added.

Marcos’ father, former president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., was one of the proponents of nuclear energy.

The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, the country’s first and only nuclear power plant, was unused for fear of accidents.

Meanwhile, Marcos said he also brought up agriculture to see how the Philippines can get assistance from other countries or entities.

“I had a very extensive and quite productive meeting with President Macron of France and of course, we discussed some of the regional issues that are impacting upon the economy and the worries that we have for the future and the partnerships that are developing between even far off places, what we used to regard as far off places like France and the Philippines,” he said.

Defense was also discussed, the President said, pointing to interconnectivity not only in the global economy but even political structures around the world where France would be involving itself in.

“So there is increased involvement in exercises, there is increased presence in the Asia-Pacific region and all of that,” Marcos said.

“So, these are areas that … the three basic areas where partnerships could be explored. He was also kind enough to invite me to visit France when the time comes,” he added. Last month, French Ambassador to the Philippines Michèle Boccoz said that Marcos is likely to visit France, but cited no definite date as to when it will happen.

On September 16, the two leaders for the first time talked to each other by phone, where they agreed to deepen their countries’ relations in terms of low-carbon energy, food security, defense and human exchanges.

Marcos and Macron also met on September 21 at the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.