Secretary Mario G. Montejoof the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Director Alumanda Dela Rosa of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) - DOST represented the Philippines in the 57th International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference held at Vienna, Austria from September 16-20.
Attended by more than 3,000 delegates from 159 nations, the annual session gathers the IAEA Member States to foster its general programs and activities, as well as to showcase the Agency’s latest developments both in the peaceful application of nuclear science and in the equally indispensable issue of nuclear safety and security.
Secretary Montejo delivered the Philippine Delegation Statement during the second day of the conference. He thanked the IAEA for its untiring technical and financial support for the country’s programs and services which utilize nuclear technology to benefit various fields and sectors.
He also reported on the Philippines’ industrial and economic stride through several nuclear research and development projects, bringing the country ever closer to realizing its Millennium Development Goals in the future.
“The Philippines anchors the attainment of its development agenda through the goals of inclusive growth along with ecological responsibility for present and future generations,” he said.
Secretary Montejo made special mention of PNRI’s leading projects and achievements, including the development of smart-farming methods through the application of isotope techniques in soil, water and crop nutrient management; the newly-built Technetium 99m production facility which will be a great boon for nuclear medicine in the country; the recently concluded training of scientists from Cuba, El Salvador and Oman in the use of the Receptor Binding Assay (RBA) for harmful algal blooms or “red tide”; and the on-going transfer of RBA technology to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
He also commended the success of the 40th Atomic Energy Week celebration held at PNRI on December 10 to 14, 2012, which helped increase the Filipino’s awareness on the beneficial uses of nuclear technology.
Due to lessons learned from the 2011 Fukushima accident, the Science Secretary hailed the recent founding of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ Regulatory Network (ASEANTOM) and the deliberation on how to implement the Philippines’ National Radiological Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (RADPLAN) at the local community level. He also congratulated the neighboring Brunei Darussalam for its recently approved membership in the IAEA, completing the ASEAN nations under the umbrella of the IAEA.
Despite the difficulties encountered by the IAEA during the previous years, Montejo pledged his support for the IAEA on behalf of the Philippine government.
“The Agency is confronted with challenges and issues complicated by political realities. The Philippines believes, however, that we cannot allow our gains to be eroded or erased by our differences,” Montejo said.
