Bataan Nuclear Power Plant: A Major Economic Asset
Source: Wikipedia

From the information source to its recipient, ordinary household activities, trade and commerce into the most extensive form of technology, most if not all, are powered and generated by technology.

In this highly globalized and fast paced society, I never thought that there still exists, places and houses which were never reached by electricity. Worst is that, one main reason for this eventuality is that some Municipal Government cannot afford to fund for the electrical subsidies that could somehow lessen the burden of paying high-priced electricity rate, making it available and affordable to these unprivileged members of the locality.

As an ordinary citizen, there are times by which, I had to deal with the sequel of the circumstances brought by high-priced electricity rate and shortage. One recalled experience was that of last summer 2010 when there was a complete electrical shutdown on the whole period of the day straight for 1 month. According to our local substation, this has to happen in order to cater the other Barangays who also need to be distributed by electricity.

How could this happen? I believed that our country is growing economically and competing globally, but how come we are threatened by these causalities?

The situation is quite alarming, how can we attract more investors if in the first place, we can't guarantee them enough supply of electricity? And if we still continue to import tons and barrels of oil that would generate our electricity, how far can we keep up and be able to sustain this if we are already thriving for funding its costs?

The answer to this dilemma is just a stone-throw away from where we stand today. Possible and highly achievable. The revival of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant will soon put an end to all of these problems. Created in 1958 together with the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission under Republic Act 2067. The initiative was from President Ferdinand Marcos, under a regime of martial law he ordered for the creation of a nuclear power plant-a response to the 1973 oil crisis, as the Middle East Oil Embargo had put a heavy strain on the Philippine Economy. As of now, the plant still remains unused because of the unfounded fear caused by certain incidents of nuclear explosions outside the country. More so, even if it still remains unused, it requires an average of 40 million pesos a year just to maintain it. In May 2011, it was announced that the plant would be turned into a tourist attraction.

Had this been utilized and used efficiently, we could have been reaping the gains that it may give us. The government could save a lot of monetary resources that could be used for other necessary purposes and the allotted 40 million (which is the cost for its yearly maintaining it) can be redirected to building schools, full educational subsidies and health care. We do not need a piece of tourist attraction when it can be as useful as to saving the staggering economy of the country.

By pursuing this aim, I am convinced that we do not only light the houses of everyone but of their lives as well, giving wider opportunities and chances to everyone at large.

ECONOMIC ISSUE: Philippine Reproductive Health Bill Addresses the Problem of Population Growth; A
Factor that Impedes Economic Advancement

Source: Wikipedia

REACTION:

There are currently two Bills having the same goals of mitigating the skyrocketing number of population in the country. One is the House Bill Number 96 or the Reproductive Health Bill Act and Population and Development Act of 2010 crafted by Albay 1st District Edcel Lagman and the other is the Senate Bill Number 2378 or the Reproductive Health Bill Act by Miriam Defensor Santiago. These above mentioned passages have aimed to achieve poverty alleviation and lifestyle development by undertaking a massive dissemination of family planning devices and family planning information.

With these, I have laid two vital points as a personal backlash against the future amendment of these passages. The paramount above the two is the prodding issue of Morality vs Practicality. Even as a child, I have patterned my ways and beliefs in the brim of morality, preeminently because I wanted to live a very dignified way of life. My personal stance about RH Bill is that, it is the indirect, selfish and sugar-coated way of murder. Why? If we have to debate this issue in a very scientific way, I stand on my grounds that science has defined "CELL TO BE THE TINIEST UNIT OF LIFE". As a human person molded and educated in a religious institution, I am in no position to take away life or to hinder its exigency. While mulling over the entire issue trying my best to understand its implication, I have grown fear into my heart that by supporting RH Bill we might fall into the pit of worsening our present state and can't be able to pull ourselves up.

RH Bill on the other hand does not really address the real issue on poverty- I mean, even if our countrymen stops on populating these days, the number of population is still greater than the limit. If its really the population that keeps us staggering down, then might as well the Government conducts a mass killing to redress the problem since it makes no difference with what the RH Bill is trying to implicate.

Another is that, it does not cure the illness of the society's lack of discipline hence, it is even tolerating the society to continue being irresponsible. In the issue of Morality vs Practicality, the earlier mentioned weighs greater than the latter. It has a key role in resolving the malady of the society. A person who upholds his morality maintains a dignified way of life taking into consideration the physical, social, emotional and economic well being of his/her family. In turn, it yields a ripple effect on the society en masse.

The second point to accentuate is on the side of the Government- Presumably, the Government should be bent on enacting rigorous and comprehensive laws that would certainly address the said problem. Taken for example the three-child policy, which limits the number of children that a couple could have as determined by their economic stability. In order to attain these goals, hopefully trying to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) set by the different sectors in the society, an iron hand should be reinforced and be allowed to rule over the people.

What I am trying to real-out from these presented point of views is that, the real problem does not rise from the overshooting number of our population. It is the lack of access to education and the overwhelming issue of corruption by which, the funds intended to allocate the needs of the poor, hardly trickles down on them.

Furthermore, pushing through the gates of practicality, it is quite imperative to note that some, if not most of our less privilege folks contribute a greater scale in the population scheme. Every given day is a struggle for them finding the basic commodities (food, shelter, and clothing) that would keep them surviving. Who in their right minds would rather choose to buy CONDOMS and PILLS in expense for the food that would quench their hunger? Some says that, the Filipino taxpayers as well as the private sectors would shoulder the funds so that there will be a free access to these family planning devices. But would it be better if these funds be directed and given to the people who needs it most?

In the end, it dawned to me that no matter how appealing these policies or future laws may be, they are not at all moral. I have found my purpose while writing this article that I should serve to open minds and let others see the future ramifications of these Bills and its impact in the lives of the Filipinos.

We wanted to eliminate POVERTY and not LIVES, uplift our STANDARD OF LIVING and not to DEMORALIZE OURSELVES. Which way to go? Think again.