By Noel Sales Barcelona
Correspondent
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Angel N. Lagdameo issued a pastoral statement against the issue the planned revival of the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).
“We join the Environmentalist Group Greenpeace and the Diocese of Balanga headed by Bishop Socrates Villegas in opposing the revival of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant,” reads the first paragraph of statement signed, in behalf of the CBCP’s 95 active and 24 honorary members.
“We earnestly appeal to our Congressmen, with fervent hope and prayer that Congress will completely and irrevocably reject the opening of the nuclear plant as the most dangerous and expensive way to generate electricity. Multiple risks and the possibility of corruption outweigh dreamed benefits,” it continued.
Furthermore, the pastoral statement recommends that the mothballed facility in Morong, Bataan, be dismantled as its revival will be most hazardous to the health and life of the people. Archbishop Lagdameo also expressed his opposition to coal-fired power plants as sources of energy in Iloilo province and other parts of the country.
The pastoral statement also recommends the implementation of the approved bill on the use of renewable energy, such as solar, wind and water as safe sources of electricity.(Bulatlat.com)
