Pangasinan 2nd District Rep. Mark Cojuangco called out the local press for clinging to "obsolete" anti-nuclear narratives, accusing journalists of unfairly scrutinizing atomic energy while turning a blind eye to the deadly impacts of fossil fuels.

Speaking at a recent roundtable discussion on Thursday, the lawmaker and vocal nuclear advocate challenged the media to update their perspectives and accurately report on the global resurgence of nuclear power.

"Think about your decades-old narrative. It's already obsolete, faded," Cojuangco said in Filipino. "The whole world is now moving toward nuclear power."

He pointed out that major technology giants are driving a nuclear revival in the United States, citing Microsoft's move to reactivate the shuttered Three Mile Island plant to secure clean, reliable electricity for its operations. Cojuangco said these international developments are largely ignored locally.

"The story there, the local media is not covering it," he said. "We have turned a new page, the story has changed, but our local media cannot keep up. I hope you wake up; our country needs this."

Cojuangco, who chairs the House Special Committee on Nuclear Energy and principally sponsored the recently enacted Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act, expressed frustration over what he perceives as a media double standard.

He argued that reporters are quick to question the safety of nuclear energy but remain virtually silent on the proven health hazards of coal pollution, which currently fuels nearly 62 percent of the Philippines' electricity generation.

"How many thousands of Filipinos, of Bataeños, have gotten sick from pollution and died early because of disease? You in the media do not cover that," Cojuangco said.

"But one move for nuclear, you immediately question the safety. I hope you also question other energy sources," he added. "The same standard as you are setting for nuclear, please apply it to all other energy sources."

However, media scrutiny of the country's nuclear ambitions stems from significant opposition by independent scientists and civil society. Geologists have repeatedly warned against reviving the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant due to its proximity to the Lubao Fault and the potentially active Mount Natib.

Additionally, Catholic bishops recently issued a pastoral letter opposing Cojuangco's proposed plant in Pangasinan, citing risks of irreversible harm and a lack of long-term radioactive waste solutions.

Dismissing these concerns, the lawmaker warned the press that maintaining opposition to nuclear energy is effectively consenting to the continued use of deadly fossil fuels.

"What this means is that if you do not choose nuclear, you agree that more people will get hurt, get sick, and die early," he said. 

Calling nuclear power a "cure for poverty," Cojuangco urged the media to drop its biases and recognize the technology's potential to attract massive investments, create millions of jobs, and permanently solve the country's energy crisis.