The Philippines must decide "as soon as possible" whether or not to develop nuclear power sources, the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry or FFCCCI said on Friday.

FFCCCI president Cecilio Pedro said nuclear power is a cheaper alternative to coal or solar, and that safeguards can be put in place to ensure its safety.

"If nuclear power is dangerous, why are all our neighbors going nuclear but we're not? So, it's probably not that dangerous," Pedro said. "We just need to build protective measures and safety measures."

Pedro said the Philippines needs to be competitive when it comes to costs, especially in energy.

InfraWatch convenor Terry Ridon, however, cautioned that the Philippines should be careful with the countries it would be contracting with if it decides to tap nuclear energy.

"We don't know what he means by developing nuclear power sources, because the country currently has no uranium reserves, which is the fuel for nuclear power plants," Ridon said, referring to Pedro.

"While we have no strong objections to nuclear technology per se, the government must be careful in choosing the states and firms it will engage with to develop our nuclear sector," Ridon said. "Under absolutely no uncertain terms should it be with an adversarial state, such as those with whom we have territorial disputes."

Pedro said energy should be made readily available in the Philippines because, without power, no one would dare invest, especially when the cost of electricity in the country is prohibitive.