Pilipinas, may sarili nang uranium deposit: biyaya o sumpa?
Pilipinas, may sarili nang uranium deposit: biyaya o sumpa?
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™
September 30, 2026
Noong Setyembre 2026, inanunsyo ng DOST–Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) at University of the Philippines Diliman (kasama ang Akita University ng Japan) ang pagkumpirma ng uranium-bearing minerals—pangunahin ang uraninite—sa surface deposits ng Bessemer area, Larap, Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte. Sa 180-kilogram sample mula sa humigit-kumulang kalahating metrong mineralized zone, naitala ang 244 parts per million (ppm) uranium, kasama ang copper, molybdenum, at iron. Sa pamamagitan ng integrated flotation at magnetic separation, naitaas nila ang uranium grade sa 305 ppm na may recovery rate na humigit-kumulang 73–74%. Hindi pa ito “yellowcake” (uranium concentrate), at lalong hindi nuclear fuel; kailangan pa ang systematic drilling, radiometric at geophysical surveys, at mas malawak na pagsusuri upang matukoy ang lawak, lalim, at economic viability ng deposit. Ang lugar ay hindi bagong tuklas sa kasaysayan ng eksplorasyon—mula pa noong 1950s ay pinag-aaralan na ang Larap–Paracale district—ngunit ang bagong laboratoryong proseso at muling pagkilala sa surface mineralization ay nagbibigay-diin sa posibilidad ng domestic uranium resource sa gitna ng ambisyon ng bansa para sa nuclear energy (target na 1,200 MW pagsapit ng 2032 at 2,400 MW pagsapit ng 2035).
Ang 2024 NBI operations laban sa illicit trade ng depleted uranium (humigit-kumulang 100 kilo ng radioactive materials na nasamsam sa iba’t ibang lugar) at ang mga naunang pag-aresto sa mga Chinese nationals sa Paracale (na may pahayag ng PAOCC na posibleng may interes sa uranium extraction technology) ay nagpapakita ng parallel na realidad: ang uranium ay hindi lamang mineral kundi strategic material na umaakit sa ilegal na interes, foreign actors, at security risks. Kahit walang direktang kumpirmadong “September 2026 Chinese illegal miners” na partikular na nakaugnay sa bagong anunsyo, ang pattern ng illegal mining sa Camarines Norte at iba pang mineral-rich areas ay nagpapakita ng paulit-ulit na banta sa sovereignty over resources.
Bakit napakahalaga ng batong ito? Sa teknikal na antas, ang uranium ay ang primum mobile ng nuclear fuel cycle: mula sa ore papunta sa yellowcake, enrichment, fuel fabrication, hanggang sa fission na naglalabas ng dami ng enerhiya na hindi matutumbasan ng fossil fuels sa density. Para sa Pilipinas—isang bansang malakas na umaasa sa imported coal, oil, at LNG, at nasa gitna ng geopolitikal na tensyon sa West Philippine Sea—ang domestic uranium ay potensyal na instrumento ng energy security, baseload power, at pagbabawas ng vulnerability sa external shocks. Sa mas malawak na kritikal na minerals framework, ito ay bahagi ng shift tungo sa higher-value resource industry.
Ngunit ang uranium ay hindi ordinaryong mineral. Ito ay dual-use sa pinakamalalim na kahulugan: pinagmumulan ng elektrisidad at, sa sapat na enrichment, ng armas. Ang “biyaya o sumpa” ay hindi retorika lamang; ito ay ontological tension na nakabaon sa mismong kalikasan ng elemento. Sa pilosopikal na lente, ang uranium ay modernong analogue ng apoy ni Prometheus: kaloob na nagbibigay-liwanag at init, ngunit may kasamang parusa at panganib ng hubris. Sa esotericong pananaw, ito ay “primal matter” na naglalaman ng latent power ng cosmos—ang atomikong fission bilang microcosmic reflection ng cosmic processes of creation and destruction. Ang lupa ng Jose Panganiban ay hindi lamang geological formation; ito ay site ng potensyal na metamorphosis—mula sa inert rock tungo sa concentrated energy, o tungo sa radiological hazard, environmental contamination, at geopolitical contestation.
Ang resource curse (o “paradox of plenty”) ay lalong relevant dito. Ang kasaysayan ng mining sa Pilipinas—mula sa gold at copper hanggang nickel—ay puno ng mga epiko ng kayamanan na naging sanhi ng lokal na kahirapan, ecological degradation, elite capture, at foreign domination. Kung ang uranium deposit ay kumpirmadong commercially viable, ang tanong ay hindi lamang “mayroon ba tayo?” kundi “paano natin ito hahawakan?” Ang kawalan ng mature nuclear regulatory culture, ang panganib ng radiological contamination sa mining at processing, ang community displacement, at ang atraksyon sa ilegal o foreign operators ay maaaring gawing sumpa ang biyaya. Sa kabilang dako, ang maingat, transparent, at sovereign-led development—nakabase sa scientific rigor, strict environmental and radiological safeguards, community consent, at international non-proliferation commitments—ay maaaring gawing instrument ng genuine energy independence at technological sovereignty.
Sa mas malalim na antas, ang pagkakaroon ng uranium deposit ay sumusubok sa Filipino sense of stewardship. Ang lupa ay hindi mere commodity; sa maraming lokal at indigenous worldview, ito ay may “buhay” at may pananagutan. Ang uranium, bilang radioactive at transformative element, ay nagpapakita ng limitasyon ng utilitarian extraction: ang kapangyarihang ito ay hindi maaaring hawakan nang walang etika ng pag-iingat, transparency, at long-term intergenerational justice. Ang “sumpa” ay hindi inherent sa mineral; ito ay potensyal na bunga ng kawalan ng wisdom, governance, at moral restraint. Ang “biyaya” naman ay hindi automatic; ito ay kailangang gawin sa pamamagitan ng deliberate choice—scientific integrity, institutional capacity, at political will na unahin ang pambansang interes kaysa sa short-term rent-seeking.
Sa huli, ang anunsyo ng DOST-PNRI at UP Diliman ay hindi wakas kundi simula. Ito ay invitation sa mas malalim na pambansang diskurso: hindi lamang tungkol sa megawatts o yellowcake, kundi tungkol sa kung paano tayo, bilang bayan, haharap sa kapangyarihang nakatago sa ilalim ng lupa. Ang uranium ng Jose Panganiban ay mirror. Sa salamin na iyon, makikita natin kung ang Pilipinas ay handa nang maging steward ng kanyang sariling atomic potential—o kung muling magiging biktima ng sarili nitong kayamanan. Ang sagot sa “biyaya o sumpa” ay hindi nakasalalay sa batong ito, kundi sa kamay at kalooban ng mga taong magpapasya kung paano ito gagamitin.
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Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™' s connection to the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) serves as a defining pillar of his professional journey, most recently celebrated through the launch of the ACC Global Alumni Network.As a 2003 Starr Foundation Grantee, Roldan participated in a transformative ten-month fellowship in the United States. This opportunity allowed him to observe contemporary art movements, engage with an international community of artists and curators, and develop a new body of work that bridges local and global perspectives.Featured Work: Bridges Beyond Borders His featured work, Bridges Beyond Borders: ACC's Global Cultural Collaboration, has been chosen as the visual identity for the newly launched ACC Global Alumni Network.Symbol of Connection: The piece represents a private collaborative space designed to unite over 6,000 ACC alumni across various disciplines and regions.Artistic Vision: The work embodies the ACC's core mission of advancing international dialogue and cultural exchange to foster a more harmonious world.Legacy of Excellence: By serving as the face of this initiative, Roldan's art highlights the enduring impact of the ACC fellowship on his career and his role in the global artistic community.Just featured at https://www.pressenza.com/2026/01/the-asian-cultural-council-global-alumni-network-amiel-gerald-a-roldan/
He is a Filipino multidisciplinary visual artist, printmaker, painter, independent curator, researcher, writer, and cultural worker whose practice spans contemporary art, curatorial work, and cultural advocacy. He has been active in the Philippine art scene since the late 1990s and has worked with galleries, museums, artist-run spaces, and international cultural organizations.
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A multidisciplinary Filipino artist, poet, researcher, and cultural worker whose practice spans painting, printmaking, photography, installation, and writing. He is deeply rooted in cultural memory, postcolonial critique, and in bridging creative practice with scholarly infrastructure—building counter-archives, annotating speculative poetry like Southeast Asian manuscripts, and fostering regional solidarity through ethical art collaboration.
He has been active in the Philippine art scene since the late 1990s and has worked with galleries, museums, artist-run spaces, and international cultural organizations.His practice appears to represent several interconnected concerns:
Cultural work as artistic practice. Roldan has argued that the labor of curating, organizing exhibitions, teaching, documentation, and cultural administration should be understood as creative work rather than merely support work. This perspective has been reflected in his writings and exhibitions.
Social and political engagement. His artworks frequently address politics, religion, faith, denial, courage, social inequality, and the everyday experiences of Filipinos. He has stated that he draws inspiration from Filipino cultural practices while approaching painting, printmaking, and installation from a conceptual perspective.Printmaking and conceptual art. Roldan is particularly recognized for his printmaking, with works shown internationally, including exhibitions in Japan and France. His practice also encompasses painting, photography, installation, and curatorial research.International cultural exchange. A significant milestone in his career was receiving an Asian Cultural Council fellowship in 2003, which enabled him to undertake research and create work in the United States while engaging with artists and curators internationally.
More broadly, Roldan's work represents an attempt to bridge artistic production, curatorial practice, scholarship, and cultural activism . His writings often emphasize postcolonial discourse, cultural memory, and the ethics of artistic collaboration, positioning the artist not only as a maker of objects but also as a builder of cultural infrastructure.
In the Philippine contemporary art context, he can be understood as representing the figure of the artist-curator-cultural worker —someone who contributes both through making artworks and through developing exhibitions, mentoring artists, and fostering institutional and independent cultural initiatives.
Recent show at ILOMOCA
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Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™ started Independent Curatorial Manila™ as a nonprofit philanthropy while working for institutions simultaneously early on.
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