1.7k SHARES 123 VIEWS Share Tweet Google Whatsapp Pinterest Digg Linkedin Reddit Stumbleupon Buffer Pocket

Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda has recently filed a bill in Congress seeking the creation of the Philippine Nuclear Regulatory Commission or PNRC, an independent nuclear regulatory body focused on the control of peaceful uses and application of nuclear energy.

House Bill 4369, titled “Comprehensive Nuclear Regulation Act of 2016,” is considered a vital piece of legislation as the country embarks on a renewed effort to strengthen science and technology and boost industrial growth.

Salceda said PNRC will be attached to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and will work to harmonize with similar regulatory structures in other countries, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, such as China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, and Singapore among others.

Most importantly, Salceda said the PNRC will “ensure consistency with the nation’s obligations under relevant international instruments.” It will also modernize the country’s nuclear civil liability and compensation regime in line with internationally accepted standards.

Salceda’s bill specifically aims to: 1) harness the peaceful uses of nuclear energy that will benefit various fields, including health and medicine, energy production, scientific research, agriculture, industry, and education; and 2) recognize, mitigate and protect individuals, society and the environment from the potentially harmful effects of ionizing radiation, including those that could result from improper use, accidents or malicious acts.