PH bags Atoms for Peace Award

FIGHTING TERRORISM Science Secretary MarioMontejo received on behalf of the Philippines the Atom for Peace Award signifying the country’s role in preventing terrorists from getting nuclear materials at the White House. AFP

The Philippines has won the prestigious Atoms for Peace Award at this year’s Nuclear Security Summit for its contribution to nuclear security and global leadership in removing highly enriched uranium from its territory.

Science Secretary Mario G. Montejo received the award at the Nuclear Industry Summit in Washington on Thursday, hosted by President Barack Obama.

“This award is an acknowledgment of our country’s efforts to promote nuclear security at the international level,’’ Montejo said in a statement released by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

“Nuclear security is a responsibility of all states and it begins with each country’s commitment to … address safety and nonproliferation concerns,” he said.

Other recipients of the Atoms for Peace Award were Brazil, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Georgia, Hungary, South Korea, the United Mexican States, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam.

The summit brought together 350 nuclear industry executives who renewed their commitment to nuclear security and cooperation.

The award recognized the efforts of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), an agency of the Department of Science and Technology, in combating nuclear and radiological terrorism in the Philippines and around the world.

The PNRI, in coordination with the US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), decommissioned in 2013 two secure radiological transportation vehicles as part of a broader effort to combat nuclear and radiological terrorism.

The two vehicles are designed to provide a secure means of transporting radiological material within the Philippines,  PNRI said.

The NNSA and PNRI have also upgraded security at 15 medical and research buildings that maintain radiological sources.

The award recognized Philippine leadership in training experts on exploring uranium deposits in an environmentally acceptable way.

Thursday’s event was also attended by Philippine Ambassador Maria Zeneida Angara-Collinson, Assistant Secretary for Defense Raymund Quilop and PNRI officer in charge Soledad Castañeda.