ASIA/PHILIPPINES – Bishops on nuclear power plant in Luzon: “Unacceptable risk”

Manila – A nuclear power plant in northern Luzon poses “an unacceptable risk” and raises concerns in terms of safety, the environment, and also from an ethical and moral perspective: this is what the representatives from six Catholic dioceses say, who have issued an appeal against the planned nuclear plant in the western Pangasinan region.
In an open letter, circulated within the community and sent to civil authorities, the Bishops of the Lingayen-Dagupan ecclesiastical region—the metropolitan archdiocese and five suffragan dioceses—pointed out that the region, located near the East Zambales tectonic fault, makes any nuclear project extremely dangerous and potentially very harmful to the local population. “Not in Pangasinan, nor anywhere else!” declared Catholic representatives, urging officials and citizens to “prioritize people’s lives and the common good over profit.”
The message recalls the Fukushima disaster that struck Japan in 2011, highlighting the dangers of nuclear energy and its potential to “cause irreversible damage to life, livelihoods, and the environment.”
The text quotes Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, calling for prudence, intergenerational solidarity, and a commitment to identifying “renewable energy sources to safeguard future generations.”
Along these lines, Catholics encourage increased public investment in solar, wind, and other sustainable energy sources, arguing that renewable energy offers a safer and longer-term solution compared to nuclear power, which is known for producing radioactive waste—a lasting threat, as it remains dangerous and lethal for thousands of years. Representatives of Catholic communities observe that “our region has been blessed by God because it possesses a very high potential for renewable energy,” so there is no need “to develop dangerous technologies that generate profits for private companies but put our people at risk.” And, echoing the Japanese bishops, they affirm: “The protection of all life must be given priority” over “any short-term gain.”
A month ago, Noel Uson, mayor of Pangasinan City, expressed his willingness to host a nuclear power plant, celebrating the recent enactment of the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act, a law signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that promotes the safe and responsible use of nuclear energy in the Philippines. “We fully support the use of nuclear energy,” the mayor declared, while other administrators stated that “all concerns related to nuclear power plants, including safety,” will be addressed. According to civil authorities, 66% of the region’s population supports the construction of a nuclear power plant in exchange for free electricity, as stated in a survey.

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