Marcos eyes nuclear energy tie-up with UAE power firm

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is hoping that the Philippines could land a partnership with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. (ENEC) as the government looks to add nuclear energy into the country's energy mix.

In a courtesy call in Malacañang Monday, Marcos told Mohamed Al Hammadi, chairman and chief executive officer of ENEC, of the government's openness to explore the possible use of nuclear energy for power generation.

"This is a subject that we have been talking about for a long time. And especially after the pandemic, I'm trying to figure out what are the needs of the government," Marcos told Hammadi.

"And this had become a very high priority topic. I hope we can find ways to help each other in this," he added.

On June 27-29, First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, along with Pangasinan Rep. Mark Cojuangco, Special Envoy to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Kathryna Yu-Pimentel, Special Envoy to China for Trade, Investments and Tourism Benito Techico, Maharlika Investment Corp. president Rafael Consing Jr., and Ambassador Alfonso Ver to the UAE visited the Arab country and met with ENEC officials.

During the meeting, Cojuangco and Hamadi reported to the First Lady that they had sent an invitation to the President to join the International Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy – 2024 Objectives at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) this September.

The First Lady said she would take this up with the President, adding the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is currently consolidating inputs from concerned agencies regarding the Philippines' possible participation.

The International Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy calls for the tripling of global nuclear energy capacity by 2050.

Last May, representatives from the Board of Investments met with UAE companies to discuss possible investment opportunities in the Philippines, particularly those relating to clean energy. (PNA)