IAEA Deputy Director General Hua Liu (5th from left), Dr. Jane Gerardo- Abaya, Director of the Division for Asia and the Pacific, IAEA Department of Technical Cooperation (6th from right), House Special Committee on Nuclear Energy Chairperson Congressman Mark Cojuangco (4th from left), DOST-PNRI Director Dr. Carlo Arcilla (5th from right), with other PNRI officials during the inauguration of the PHILGamma facility
PHILGamma, the Multipurpose Gamma Irradiation Facility of DOST-PNRI, is now fully-automated and ready to process higher volumes of products for various sectors
PHILGamma: Multipurpose irradiator upgrades to a fully-automated commercial facility
Coming as a much-needed boon that will mean higher income for industry partners, the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) has finally completed the upgrading of its Multipurpose Gamma Irradiation Facility (MIF) to a fully-automated commercial irradiator.
Renamed as “PHILGamma”, the facility was inaugurated in a brief ceremony on November 6. And just in time as the Philippines’ economy is hard pressed to bounce back, the upgraded facility is set to meet the increased demand for radiation processing to match the clients’ production and increase their income.
Established in 1989 and the first and only facility of its kind in the country, the MIF has been regularly used for radiation processing of tons of spices, herbal products, cosmetic raw materials, medical devices and other raw materials for various clients from the commercial and industrial sectors.
Cobalt 60 is a radioactive material that continuously emits gamma radiation which, in turn, is being used worldwide to decontaminate and sterilize various products, extending their shelf-life, and generally improving the quality of consumer goods both for local consumption and for export.
These goods which went through irradiation do not become radioactive. This is because gamma rays used in radiation processing have low energy levels. Much like x-rays, these can penetrate through the packaging, allowing it to kill the microbes without degrading the products.
Full automation allows the facility to increase the volume of products that can be processed. The facility will also have a continuous mode of operation for less shut-down time, which will maximize the use of the radioactive material.
The upgrades will also make the MIF more flexible in irradiating samples requiring low, medium, and high radiation doses, allowing clients to bring in even more types of products.
But just as important as increasing productivity, the full automation upgrade will also provide a safer environment for the facility operators.
With a budget of P60 million, the upgrading of the irradiation facility is made possible through a technical cooperation project under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with cost sharing from the Philippine government.
Apart from being an income-generating facility of the government, the MIF is also used for the development of advanced research and development applications. Its contributions to national development were acknowledged through the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award to the PNRI Irradiation Services Team in 2019 by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte.
The inauguration of PHILGamma was attended by leading officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency - IAEA Deputy Director General Hua Liu and Dr. Jane Gerardo- Abaya, Director of the Division for Asia and the Pacific under the IAEA Department of Technical Cooperation.
They were joined during the event by Congressman Mark Cojuangco, chairperson of the House Special Committee on Nuclear Energy, PNRI Director Dr. Carlo Arcilla, and members of the PNRI Senior Staff.
“It’s an honor to raise a toast to you all for this great achievement, and the primary reason for this great achievement is the resilience and perseverance of the Filipino people,” said Director Abaya, as she applauds the PNRI for finally carrying through the upgrading despite the technical and financial challenges of such a massive project, particularly those brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
IAEA DDG Liu, Director Abaya and Director Arcilla at the ribbon-cutting, officially opening PHILGamma
