PH-Australia Co-Chair ARF Nuclear Risk Reduction Workshop

Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) Director Dr. Carlo Arcilla delivers the opening remarks, while nuclear scientist and now Department of Energy consultant Dr. Alumanda Dela Rosa speaks on behalf of the Philippines on nuclear risk reduction during the online workshop.

MANILA 25 November 2020 – The Philippines and Australia engaged nuclear risk reduction experts from the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) participating countries, the United Nations, and civil society in a two-day virtual workshop.

The workshop aimed to build understanding around approaches to risk reduction including through collaborative work between nuclear weapon states (NWS) and non-nuclear weapon states (NNWS).

PNRI Director Dr. Carlo Arcilla remarked that confidence-building activities under the ambit of the ARF are important in the global non-proliferation efforts, the promotion of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and the implementation of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone.

Dr. Alumanda Dela Rosa, consultant for the Department of Energy (DOE) and former Director of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology (PNRI-DOST), spoke on ASEAN’s efforts to monitor radiation and radioactivity, including the installation of 10 Gamma Dose Rate Monitoring Stations (GDRMS) in locations facing the West Philippine Sea and 14 national online environmental radiation monitoring stations facing the Pacific Ocean, as well as the implementation of radiation-detection platform with the support of the European Commission and the ASEAN. END