Bishops oppose proposed nuclear plant in Pangasinan

December 9, 2025 – 1:20 PM

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Leaders of at least six dioceses made a strong appeal against the proposed nuclear power plant in Western Pangasinan, citing safety, environmental, and moral concerns.

The shepherds of the metropolitan archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan and its five suffragan dioceses warned that the region’s location near the East Zambales Fault Line makes any nuclear project “an unacceptable risk.”

“Not in Pangasinan! Not anywhere else!” the bishops declared, urging officials and citizens to prioritize life and the common good over profit.

Drawing lessons from Japan’s 2011 Fukushima disaster, they said the catastrophe highlighted the “insoluble dangers” of nuclear energy and its potential to cause irreversible harm to life, livelihoods, and the environment.

Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ guided their stance, calling for prudence, intergenerational solidarity, and a transition to renewable energy sources” to safeguard future generations.

They stressed that radioactive waste poses a lasting threat, noting, “We have no secure, long-term solution for radioactive waste that remains deadly for thousands of years.”

Church leaders instead encouraged investment in solar, wind, and other sustainable energy options, arguing that renewable energy offers a safer and long-term solution than nuclear power.

“We are blessed with an abundance of renewable energy potential… the solution is not in building dangerous technologies which would bring more profit to private corporations, but put our people in harm’s way,” they added.

Echoing Japanese bishops, they said, “We must prioritize the protection of all life,” adding that the potential for a nuclear disaster outweighs any short-term benefit.

The statement was signed by Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan and his auxiliary bishop, Fidelis Layog, along with bishops Daniel Presto of San Fernando, La Union, Napoleon Sipalay of Alaminos, and Jacinto Jose of Urdaneta.

It also included bishops Prudencio Andaya of Cabanatuan and Fr. Getty Ferrer, diocesan administrator of San Jose, Nueva Ecija.