35th ATOMIC ENERGY WEEK CELEBRATION HIGHLIGHTS BENEFICIAL USES OF NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY
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The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will lead in the celebration of the 35th Atomic Energy Week (AEW) on December 10 to 14, 2007 with the theme "Nuclear Science and Technology: Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects".
The Guest of Honor for the AEW Opening Ceremonies on December 10, 2007 is Congressman Joseph Emilio A. Abaya, Chairperson of the Science and Technology Committee of the House of Representatives. Secretary Estrella F. Alabastro of the Department of Science and Technology will give a message.
PNRI Director Alumanda M. Dela Rosa said that the AEW celebration, as mandated under Proclamation No. 1211, aims to generate awareness of the Filipino people on the beneficial uses of nuclear technology in different areas as in food and agriculture, health and medicine, energy and industry, and the environment. The areas of application to be highlighted in this year’s AEW technical sessions are nuclear power; irradiation for food safety, quality and trade; and water resources management strategies through isotope techniques.
The topics and resource persons for the technical session on December 11 are: Nuclear Power, an Option for Energy Security to be discussed by Dr. Carlito R. Aleta, former Coordinator of Regional Cooperative Agreement for Asia and the Pacific and former PNRI Director; Considerations in Launching a Nuclear Power Program by Dr. Alumanda M. Dela Rosa, PNRI Director; and Retrospect on the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant from a Geologist’s Point of View to be presented by Dr. Carlo Arcilla, Director, National Institute for Geological Science, University of the Philippines.
On December 12, a technical session on Food Irradiation will be held with Congressman Mark O. Cojuangco of the 5th District of Pangasinan as keynote speaker. Undersecretary Elmer C. Hernandez of the Department of Trade and Industry will give a message. The topics and resource persons for the technical session are: Fundamentals of Food Irradiation by Estelita G. Cabalfin, PNRI Consultant; Application and Status of Food Irradiation in the Philippines to be discussed by Zenaida M. de Guzman, Supervising Science Research Specialist, PNRI; Philippine Regulation on Food Irradiation by Jesusa Joyce N. Cirunay, Chief, Regulation Division II, Bureau of Food and Drugs; and Irradiation as Phytosanitary Treatment of Agricultural Crops to be presented by Larry R. Lacson, Chief, Quarantine Division, Bureau of Plant Industry-Department of Agriculture.
On December 13, the topics and the resource persons for the technical session on water resources management are: Isotope and Nuclear Techniques Applications in Environmental Engineering by Dr. Genandrialine L. Peralta, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines; Application of Isotope Techniques in Modeling Hydrological Processes, to be discussed by Dr. Guillermo Tabios III, Professor, Department. of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, University of the Philippines; and The Isotope Approach to Addressing Water Concerns in the Country: Overview and Case Studies, to be presented by Soledad S. Castañeda, Senior Science Research Specialist, PNRI.
The daily activities slated for the 35th AEW celebration are guided tours, viewing of exhibits and film showing.
For more information about the activities for the 35th Atomic Energy Week celebration, please call Virginia S. Calix , 2007 AEW Executive Committee Chairperson, 920 8765 or 929 6011 to 19 or Rhoda R. Leonin, Information Officer, 920-8787 or 929-6011 to 19 loc. 286, or you could email us by clicking on the address:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
ANNOUNCEMENT: RE-ROUTING OF ACCESS ROAD TO PNRI ENTRANCE GATE
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TO OUR VALUED CLIENTS AND VISITORS:
During the period that the construction in front of PNRI is on-going, the PNRI Back Gate (along Central Avenue) is open from 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM, effective Monday, August 6, 2007 subject to appropriate security check-up.
Please be advised to use the Central Avenue gate as access to the front gate will be difficult at this time.
Front gate will only be open from 6:00 - 9:30 AM, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM and 4:00 - 6:30 PM.
An Advisory will be issued once the Commonwealth Avenue access road is again in good condition.
Thank you.
PNRI Management
PNRI HOSTS NATIONAL, REGIONAL ACTIVITIES
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A spate of regional and national activities marked the months of June and July, making it a busier-than-usual mid-year for the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute.
Last June 20, a Seminar on Nuclear Power was conducted at Traders Hotel Manila, gathering some seventy participants representing the academe, energy, media, business, and government sectors.
The high-profile workshop that was spearheaded by the National Academy of Science and Technology was organized with the aim of gathering relevant information on nuclear power and gaining insights from the Philippines’ long-term energy plan and from there draw the prospects of nuclear power in the country’s energy mix.
Select speakers from the nuclear industry were invited to shed light on issues such as nuclear safety, radioactive waste management, and the human resource development requisites of a nuclear power programme. A paper contribution from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on “Global Energy and Technology Trends†was also read at the workshop.
A plenary presentation of the output from the break-away sessions which tackled Nuclear Safety, Nuclear Power and the Environment, and Sustainable Energy Development culminated the one-day affair.
On the week that followed, a Workshop on CTBTO International Cooperation for States from Southeast Asia, the Pacific and the Far East was conducted through the joint efforts of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Preparatory Commission, the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs, and the PNRI.
The activity, which was spread over three days, provided regional participants with an overview of the Treaty, the current status of the CTBT verification regime, and perspectives on international cooperation within the region.
A total of fifty-five delegates representing fifteen countries from the Southeast Asia, Pacific and Far East region arrived for the workshop which also saw the participation of speakers from Australia, Korea, Japan, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), and the CTBTO Preparatory Commission.
Following the workshop, the Executive Secretary of the CTBTO PrepCom, H.E. Tibor Toth, visited the Philippines to interface personally with the authorities involved in the Treaty activities and to further promote the Treaty’s universal ratification and immediate entry into force.
Simultaneous with that visit during the second week of July, a Regional Training Course under the framework of the IAEA Regional Cooperative Agreement was held at the Linden Suites, Pasig City.
The Course dealt with the Promotion of Radiation Technology Utilization and gathered a total of twenty-four local and international participants involved in the regional project on Radiation Processing Applications for Health and the Environment. The training was specifically aimed at informing the participants of the increasing role of radiation technology in health-care applications, apprising them of value-added products derivable from synthetic and natural polymer-based materials, and providing awareness on the technical, economic and social advantages of using radiation in wider areas of application.
An IAEA mission on Training Needs Assessment was likewise received on the week of 9 to 13 July, intended to assist the Institute in conducting its own evaluation of HRD requirements, particularly in line with nuclear safety. The mission team consisted of Mr. Shahid Mallick of the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) and Ms. Maria Josefa Moracho Ramirez of the IAEA.
Lastly, on the week of 23 to 27 July, another training activity saw its successful conclusion with the wrap-up on Friday of the IAEA-sponsored Regional Training Course on Self-Assessment of National Regulatory Infrastructure by Member States, Using the RASSIA Protocol. (The acronym RASSIA stands for Radiation Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources Infrastructure Appraisal.) A self-assessment tool newly-introduced by the Agency is in the process of being tested, refined and promoted to a wider base with a view of building competence in the control of radiation sources through a regular review of national regulatory programmes.
Twenty-five foreign participants from East and West Asia, together with four local participants and three observers, underwent the training that was conducted within the purview of the regional project on "Strengthening National Regulatory Infrastructure for the Control of Radiation Sources".
IAEA, PNRI CO-HOST TRAINING ON AIR POLLUTION
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The International Atomic Energy (IAEA), in cooperation with the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), conducted last week a Regional Training Course on "Harmonization of Data and Source Components" under the framework of the regional project on Air Pollution in the Asian Region.
The activity gathered representatives from the fourteen Member States participating in the project, including the Philippines, for a week-long program aimed at providing participants with the tools and initial experience in the harmonization of air pollution data and source components. Lecturers came from the Clarkson University in the United States and from the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences in New Zealand.
On the last day of the one-week event, a National Seminar was held to bring together end-users and other stakeholders in the effort to characterize and identify sources of particulate air pollution in the region. Guests from the Clean Air Initiative for Asia (CAI-Asia), the local governments of Makati and Quezon City, the University of the Philippines, National Power Corporation, and the Asian Development Bank attended the affair.
