The strategic necessity of the nuclear option

In announcing the American attack against Iran on Feb. 28, United States President Trump stated that “it has always been the policy of the United States, in particular, my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon.” It didn’t take long after that to spark a major war in the Middle East and plunge the region into crisis.

As the war headed into its third week, Iran attacked a number of commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and essentially brought maritime traffic to a halt in one of the world’s most important energy corridors. In 2024, about 20 million barrels per day of oil, or roughly 20 percent of global petroleum liquids consumption, moved through it, along with about 20 percent of global liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade. Most of that energy flow serves Asian markets, which means any interruption would quickly ripple through regional fuel prices and shipping costs.

For the Philippines, this is more than just a regional security crisis, it is an immediate economic and strategic threat. As a result, President Marcos recently declared a state of national energy emergency. Aside from the safety and well-being of the more than 2 million Filipinos living and working in the region that provided around 6.5 billion pesos in remittances in 2025, the Philippines is particularly exposed due to its dependence on imported energy.

In practical terms, this means the Philippines is not only importing its fuel and energy needs, but it is likewise importing vulnerability in terms of our energy security and prospects for economic growth and development. When global markets are shaken by war, the country ends up paying more for electricity generation, transport, and industrial production, and given this vulnerability, the ensuing damage to our economy would likely continue even when the war ends. These energy shocks will continue to linger. Even after a ceasefire, markets tend to retain a geopolitical risk premium, and supply chains do not instantly reset.

For the Philippines, this would slow economic recovery, strain households, and weaken the competitiveness of local industry. High energy costs reduce disposable income, raise the cost of food and goods, and discourage investment. In a developing economy trying to expand manufacturing, infrastructure, and digital services, unstable fuel prices are a brake on progress.

This is why from a long term and strategic perspective, energy security must be understood as a national development issue, not just a utility concern. If the Philippines wants resilient growth, it must reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels and build a more diversified power mix. Renewable energy is essential to that effort, but it is not enough on its own. Solar and wind are variable, storage remains costly, and grid stability requires firm baseload power. That is where nuclear energy becomes strategically important.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has reported significant progress in the Philippines’ nuclear infrastructure development and noted that the country has adopted a national position for a nuclear energy program. The Department of Energy also has a road map envisioning commercially operational plants by 2032 and capacity growing toward 4,800 megawatts by 2050.

Nuclear energy offers several advantages that align directly with Philippine needs. First, it strengthens self-reliance by reducing exposure to imported oil, coal, and LNG prices. Second, it improves resilience because nuclear fuel can be stockpiled for long periods and is less vulnerable to maritime chokepoints like Hormuz. Third, it supports industrial growth by providing steady, high-capacity electricity that can anchor manufacturing, data centers, and urban expansion. In other words, nuclear power is not merely an alternative technology; it is a strategic hedge against geopolitical volatility. It does feel kind of strange that it had to take a war based on the premise of preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon to hammer home the point that a nuclear option would be a vital element to addressing our country’s long term energy security needs.

I would also like to make clear that this argument is not that nuclear energy should replace all other sources. Rather, it should become part of a balanced national energy portfolio that includes renewables, natural gas, and better transmission and storage systems. In a world where distant conflicts can quickly become domestic inflation, the Philippines cannot afford an energy strategy built on imported fragility alone. Nuclear power gives the country a path toward recovery after crisis and toward long-term resilience before the next one arrives.

For a nation aiming for stable growth, economic sovereignty, and energy security, the nuclear option is no longer just another economic program, it is now a strategic necessity.

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Moira G. Gallaga served three Philippine presidents as presidential protocol officer and was posted at the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles and the Philippine Embassy in Washington.