PH Senate President Leads Scientific Visit to the Int’l Atomic Energy Agency
Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian (4th and 3rd from left, respectively) lead a scientific visit to the International Atomic Energy Agency organized by the Philippine Mission in Vienna, Austria under the leadership of Ambassador Maria Cleofe R. Natividad (leftmost). (Vienna PE/PM Photo)
VIENNA 25 May 2018 – An official delegation headed by Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and joined by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian took part in a scientific visit organized by the Philippine Embassy and Mission in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), headquarted in Vienna, Austria on 05 May.
The scientific visit aimed to raise awareness of Philippine legislators and government officials on the important benefits of nuclear science and technology in many fields – including health and medicine, energy production, scientific research, agriculture, industry, and education. The visit was also for the purpose of familiarizing legislators with the international legal instruments in the nuclear field and enhancing understanding of elements of a comprehensive and coherent national legislation to ensure the safe, secure, and peaceful use of such nuclear technologies.
“This visit is part of our science diplomacy thrust here in Vienna,” said Ambassador Maria Cleofe R. Natividad, the country’s Resident Representative to the IAEA. “We want to show the ‘other side of nuclear’ – how nuclear science and technology has the potential to transform and improve the lives of Filipinos. All over the world, the IAEA has helped its Member States improve their citizens’ well being through the application of nuclear techniques in ensuring access to safe food and water, cheap energy, and improving health and nutrition.”
High-level discussions took place between the Philippine officials and IAEA Deputy Director Dazhu Yang on the long-standing robust technical cooperation between the IAEA and the Philippines, including future prospects. The senators were also briefed by experts from the IAEA Office of Legal Affairs, led Director Peri Lynne Johnson, on the elements of an effective national legal framework to ensure the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear technologies.
A highlight of the scientific visit was a tour of the IAEA Nuclear Applications laboratories in Seibersdorf where the senators saw for themselves how the researchers fight key insect pests through the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), a method of birth control applied to target insect pest populations at the Insect Pest Control Laboratory, establish effective systems to support food authenticity, food traceability and contaminant control at the Food and Environmental Protection Laboratory, and ensure the safe and effective use of radiation in cancer treatment at the Dosimetry Laboratory.
Joining the delegation from Senate were Dr. Carlo Arcilla, who heads the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, the country’s competent authority on nuclear matters, Department of Energy Undersecretary Donato Marcos, as well as technical staff from the Philippine Embassy.
The Philippines has been a Member State of the IAEA since 1958. The country’s membership and participation in various IAEA technical cooperation projects allows it to build its capability and gain expertise in nuclear science and technology. END
(From left) Ambassador Natividad, Senate President Pimentel, and Ms. Peri Lynne Johnson, Legal Adviser and Director, IAEA Office of Legal Affairs, had robust exchanges on the establishment of a national legal framework to ensure the safe, secure, and peaceful use of nuclear technologies. (Vienna PE/PM Photo)
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian listens the explanation of Mr. Marc Vreysen, head of the Insect Pest Control Laboratory in Seibersdorf, of how IAEA’s pest eradication work could boost produce exports of IAEA Member States. The IAEA helps deploy sterile insect technology, a nuclear application, to assist countries in curbing fruit fly population, thereby improving export earnings. (Vienna PE/PM Photo)
For more information, visit www.viennape.dfa.gov.ph / www.philippine-embassy.at or @pevienna on Twitter.