PHL leads ASEAN cooperation on nuclear safety and security at inaugural session of 13th ASEANTOM

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The Philippines, on August 11, 2026, reaffirmed its commitment to peaceful nuclear science, regional cooperation, and robust regulatory systems that safeguard people and the environment as it inaugurated the 13th Annual Meeting of the ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy (ASEANTOM) at the Diamond Hotel Manila.

The three-day summit serves as a critical platform for the ten ASEAN Member States and their global dialogue partners to exchange experiences and best practices on regulatory oversight, human resource management, emergency preparedness and response, environmental radiation monitoring, nuclear security, and efforts to prevent the illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials.

Likewise, it also serves as a venue for ASEAN Member States to review ongoing regional projects and identify future areas of cooperation.

As chair and host of  the 2026 Annual Meeting, Philippines will lead all plenary sessions and facilitate discussions on the region’s priorities in nuclear regulation.

It will present the country’s accomplishments under ASEANTOM projects, report on activities undertaken during its chairship, and share the key outcomes and lessons learned from the ASEAN Nuclear Emergency Notification and Communications Exercise or AR/NEX 2026, which is the ASEANTOM’s flagship project for this year.

Leading the Philippine delegation is the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (DOST-PNRI) through its Nuclear Regulatory Division, the country’s national regulatory authority for nuclear and radiation safety.

Representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat and Dialogue Partners, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United States, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and other partner organizations are present during the meeting. Philippine government agencies, including the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Energy, and other concerned agencies, likewise participated.

Regional security linked to scientific collaboration

Dr. Vallerie Ann I. Samson, officer-in-charge of DOST-PNRI and chair of ASEANTOM 2026, highlighted the importance of the meeting for regional cooperation for robust nuclear safety, security, and safeguards.

“As we gather to deliberate on the peaceful uses of nuclear technology, our shared commitment to robust nuclear safety, security, and safeguards remain paramount. This meeting provides us an opportunity to strengthen our regional cooperation, review our action plans, and advance our collective preparedness,” Dr. Samson stated.

Dr. Vallerie Ann I. Samson, officer-in-charge of DOST-PNRI and chair of ASEANTOM 2026, welcomes the delegates to the 2026 Annual Meeting of the ASEANTOM 2026, almost a decade after the Philippines hosted the 4th annual meeting in 2017.

Delivering the keynote address, DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. echoed this call, saying that each Member State carries a unique nuclear history and distinct national considerations, yet these differences enrich the collaboration.

“Guided by shared values, collective expertise, and over thirteen years of institutional trust, we are far stronger together. I urge every Member State to fully invest in this network, actively implement the ASEANTOM Work Plan 2024–2028, and ensure no nation is left behind as our regional nuclear landscape evolves,” he said. 

Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato U. Solidum, Jr. commends the DOST-Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, the FDA-Center for Device Regulation, Radiation Health and Research, and the entire ASEANTOM 2026 Secretariat for their outstanding organization of this event.

Solidum also welcomed Timor-Leste as a full member of ASEAN.

 “We look forward to the day Timor-Leste actively contributes within ASEANTOM. The Philippines stands ready to extend institutional and technical support to Timor-Leste in establishing its national nuclear regulatory body and ensuring its meaningful integration into ASEANTOM’s programs. This is the true essence of ASEAN solidarity,” he said.

Framework for nuclear readiness 

In his remarks, Hon. Mark O. Cojuangco, chair of the House Special Committee on Nuclear Energy, proposed a regional framework that helps Member States identify the capabilities that must mature alongside their nuclear programs.

“Such a framework could consider readiness across four broad dimensions: institutional readiness (laws, regulatory independence, and clear governmental responsibilities); technical readiness (people, grid infrastructure and technical support, safety, security); regional readiness (safeguards, emergency arrangements, monitoring and transboundary coordination) and lifecycle readiness (financing, fuel, liability, radioactive waste, spent fuel, and decommissioning), provided from the beginning rather than left for future governments and generations to resolve,” he explained.

Representative Mark O. Cojuangco urging Member States to develop a framework for readiness capabilities on nuclear programs.

The strategic importance of the meeting was further validated by a "whole-of-government" presence, including Undersecretary Leo M. Herrera-Lim of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Secretary Sharon S. Garin of the Department of Energy, and Dr. Valeriano V. Timbang, Jr., representing the Food and Drug Administration.

Inaugural AR/NeX 2026

The summit also acknowledged the inaugural high-definition simulation of the ASEAN Nuclear Emergency Notification and Communications Exercise (AR/NeX 2026), demonstrating the region’s sophisticated radiological response capabilities.

Regional notifications, field measurements, protective action decisions, and public communications under pressure were tested—including a live simulated press conference—and, for the first time, a cross-border deployment of neighboring response team on Philippine soil.

Participating agencies and ASEAN National Competent Authorities were also recognized for the technical excellence and emergency preparedness and response capabilities currently being cultivated across the ASEAN community.

As the primary mechanism for strengthening nuclear cooperation in Southeast Asia, ASEANTOM continues to focus on its core mandate: nuclear safety, security, and safeguards.

The meeting will conclude on August 13, 2026, with the formal turnover of the ASEANTOM Chairship from the Philippines to Singapore, marking the continuation of ASEAN’s collective efforts to ensure that nuclear science and technology are used safely, securely, and exclusively for peaceful purposes.

The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute is one of the attached agencies of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) aimed at providing science-based, innovative, and inclusive solutions across four strategic pillars: human well-being, wealth creation, wealth protection, and sustainability. These pillars embody the mantra OneDOST4U: Solutions and Opportunities for All. For more information, visit www.dost.gov.ph

About ASEANTOM

Established in 2013 under the ASEAN Political-Security Community Pillar, ASEANTOM serves as the regional platform for cooperation among the nuclear regulatory authorities of the ASEAN Member States. The network works to strengthen nuclear safety, nuclear security, and nuclear safeguards across the region by promoting regulatory cooperation, sharing best practices, building technical capacity, and supporting the implementation of IAEA standards. (By Rosemarie S. Pelaez, DOST-STII and photos by Broadcast and Digital Media Section, DOST-STII)