Palace: PHL safe despite Level-5 nuclear threat in Japan

Malacañang on Saturday downplayed perceived threats on the Philippines by the worsening situation at a quake-crippled nuclear plant in Japan, after authorities there raised the alert level from “4" to “5" in a seven-level international scale. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said there has so far been no change in Philippine nuclear authorities’ assessment that there is no immediate threat to the Philippines. “Our Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) constantly reviews the effects of radiation alerts in Japan. Just because Japanese authorities raised the alert level there does not necessarily mean we will also raise the alert level here. So far the alert level in Japan is localized. But we are also closely monitoring and making our own assessment," Valte said in Filipino on government-run dzRB radio. Besides, she said the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) “has been advising [us] that the wind patterns have been holding, eastward, away from the Philippines." Even if the situation in Japan poses a threat to the Philippines, she said the PNRI has prepared contingency plans to deal with the situation. Authorities in Japan had raised the nuclear alert level to “5" from “4" and have begun considering other options such as burying the plant, after efforts at dropping water from helicopters failed to address the problem. Enough funds for repatriation Valte also maintained the government has enough funds to repatriate Filipinos from Japan and other trouble spots, if the need arises. She said that before the crisis in Libya broke out last February, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said the government has P13 billion for emergencies such as repatriation. After spending for evacuation and repatriation of workers from Libya, she said the fund now stands at some P11 billion. “The Department of Budget and Management has assured us it has enough funds. If the need to evacuate our nationals arises, there will be enough funds," she said. Valte also said Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario is in Japan to personally meet with embassy officials and review the contingency plans for Filipinos there. Valte admitted being surprised that Del Rosario went to Japan unannounced, but said it would help Philippine officials there. On the other hand, she said Philippine air carriers such as the Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific had offered to transport relief items to Japan. “Any other help given is very much welcome, baka maipakita natin ang pakikiisa natin sa Japan (Any other help is very much welcome, to show our solidarity with Japan)," she said. Search team Valte said the Philippines will leave to Japanese government the decision whether to allow Philippine search-and-rescue (SAR) teams in Japan. “Sila ang nag-a-assess ng sarili nilang capability. Tayo any help we can provide ibibigay natin (The Japanese authorities will assess their own capability. For our part, we will provide any help we can give)," she said. Commercial decision Valte said the decision of some supermarkets to play safe and temporarily stop bringing in some food products from Japan is a commercial decision and does not reflect the government’s position. “It’s a commercial decision. The supermarket owners decide what merchandise to make available on their shelves, it’s a commercial move. But for the government, we continually made efforts to assure the public that amid the nuclear situation in Japan, the situation in the Philippines remains normal," she said. — LBG, GMA News