In a bid to address escalating energy costs, Representative Robert Ace Barbers from Surigao del Norte’s 2nd District has proposed the establishment of a dedicated research and development agency focused on deuterium. This initiative, encapsulated in House Bill 11295, aims to tap into the vast deuterium reserves believed to be located in the Philippine trench, also known as the Mindanao Deep, off the coast of Surigao del Norte.
Barbers emphasized the urgency of exploring sustainable and eco-friendly energy alternatives like deuterium, highlighting the detrimental effects of continued reliance on fossil fuels, which contribute significantly to global warming and threaten future generations. He proposed the creation of the Philippine Deuterium Research and Development Authority (PDRDA) to spearhead this exploration.
Deuterium, a hydrogen isotope used in nuclear fusion, is abundant in the ocean and offers a clean energy source that produces no harmful carbon emissions, only water vapor or steam. It could potentially replace traditional fuels such as gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas, and aviation fuel, providing a versatile and sustainable solution for powering internal combustion engines.
The proposed PDRDA would be an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), facilitating the integration of foreign expertise and resources to enhance local knowledge and technology transfer related to deuterium-based energy. The agency would also include a Board of Trustees comprising government officials, private sector representatives, and members from scientific and engineering organizations focused on energy research and development.
Barbers pointed out that since the 1980s, there have been claims of the Philippines possessing the world’s largest deuterium deposits, although these claims have faced skepticism. He suggested that major oil companies and oil-producing countries might be threatened by deuterium’s potential, fearing economic collapse if deuterium becomes a viable alternative energy source. Barbers warned of possible efforts to derail deuterium research through pressure or disinformation, given its potential as the ‘fuel of the future.’