Filipino bishops oppose proposed nuclear power plant

Church leaders from six dioceses in the Ecclesiastical Province of Lingayen-Dagupan issued a pastoral letter this month regarding the government’s plan to build a nuclear power plant, expressing their deep concerns about the project. 

“We, your pastors, write to you today with profound concern regarding the recent proposal to construct a nuclear power plant in western Pangasinan,” the bishops said. 

Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan signed the letter along with Bishop Napoleon Sipalay of Alaminos; Auxiliary Bishop Fidelis Layog of Lingayen-Dagupan; Bishop Jacinto Jose of Urdaneta; Bishop Daniel Presto of San Fernando, La Union; Bishop Prudencio Andaya of Cabanatuan; and Fr Getty Ferrer of the Diocese of San Jose, Nueva Ecija.

The Filipino bishops drew on insights from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan. 

The Japanese bishops, in their message for the 10th anniversary of the Fukushima disaster, renewed their commitment to “protect life”. They reminded people that when faced with such an “unprecedented catastrophe”, one must recognise the limits of human wisdom and knowledge. 

Church leaders from Japan also noted that “nuclear power generation is fundamentally incompatible with the vision of a ‘symbiotic society’ that respects all life without exception”. 

The Filipino bishops acknowledged the stance of the late Pope Francis, who “stressed the paramount importance of safety, prudence and stewardship for future generations”. 

Citing the principle of prudence, the bishops noted that “the potential for a ‘huge disaster’ demands that we prioritise human safety and environmental protection above immediate economic needs”.

The bishops noted the considerable potential for renewable energy in the Philippines and called for investment in this sector as a matter of urgency.

“Pangasinan is not ours. We owe it to future generations to keep Pangasinan safe from a nuclear catastrophe. The risks are greater than the benefits,” they said. 

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Filipino bishops oppose government plan to build nuclear power plant (By Santosh Digal/Catholic News Agency)