Who cautioned Luzon residents against staying outdoors for a week because of the North Korean missile launch? Certainly not the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI).
The country’s nuclear research agency has clarified that it was not the source of a recommendation for most Luzon residents to stay indoors from early morning until noon next week because of potential risks posed by North Korea’s missile launch.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMMC) had attributed to PNRI a recommendation for people from Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, 4B, the Cordillera Administrative Region and Metro Manila to avoid going out from April 12 to 16, from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m.
No basis
The advisory was clearly stated in the minutes of an inter-agency meeting the NDRRMC led on April 3. Aviation, marine, military, health, police, weather civil defense and local government agencies gathered that day to discuss government’s response plan to possible threats of the North Korean launch.
“For us, [asking people] to stay indoors has no basis if you talk about the threat of radioactivity because the missile is not radioactive. But Defense Undersecretary (and NDRRMC Administrator) Benito Ramos may have some other threats in mind. We do not see any threat that would require an action like that,” PNRI Director Alumanda dela Rosa told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Dela Rosa said she had requested Ramos to amend its advisory and remove the attribution to PNRI as the public might interpret it as a nuclear or radioactive threat. The advisory is contained in the minutes posted on NDRRMC’s website that is accessible to the public.
Other dangers
“That should not be attributed to PNRI. But Undersecretary Ramos explained to me that they are protecting the public from other dangers that could be caused by debris [of the missile],” Dela Rosa said.
She reiterated, though, that there is “no danger of radioactivity from the debris.”
As of Sunday afternoon, the NDRRMC has deleted its original post titled “Suspected DPRK Long-Range Ballistic Missle Test” which contained the “stay indoors” recommendation.
The PNRI is working with other government agencies to implement a response plan in case debris from the North Korean missile would indeed fall within Philippine shores. A PNRI team will be on standby to conduct radioactivity measurements on the impact site. The NDRRMC had estimated that debris might hit waters off Northern Luzon.