SONA 2026: Marcos seeks a revisit of nuclear energy production
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced plans to revisit nuclear energy production in the Philippines to improve energy security and lower electricity costs. The initiative builds upon previous roadmaps while emphasizing safety measures and public education.
Why it matters
Nuclear energy is a controversial but significant component of national energy strategies aimed at reducing reliance on fossil fuels and stabilizing power grids.
MindaNews / 27 July 2026– President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said he wants to revisit nuclear energy production, a program started during his father’s administration but was shelved due to safety issues.
“We are already using nuclear energy in the fields of medicine, agriculture, water filtration, and the upcycling of plastic.
“We are confident in its capacity to reinforce our energy security and bring down the cost of electricity in our country,” he said in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) Monday.
He said measures will be taken to ensure the safety of using nuclear energy and to explain well to the public its advantage.
In response to the 1973 oil crisis, President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. decided to build a nuclear plant in Morong, Bataan. Construction work began in July 1976 and was completed in 1984 at a cost of $1.9 billion.
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