[en] The Regional Cooperative Agreement (RCA) for Asia and Oceania is the first of four current regional programs of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Organized in 1972, RCA now has 17 Member States - Australia, Bangladesh, Peoples Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. A number of projects related to application of a wide range of nuclear technologies are conducted through RCA. In 1987, a year following the Chernobyl accident, an RCA project was formulated and initially aimed at strengthening regional radiation protection infrastructures. The current third five-year RCA project on enhancement and harmonization of radiation protection, with the IAEA designation - RAS/9/018, will be completed in 2002. The project was developed to address five thematic areas: Standards and Regulations; Radiation Accident Management; Radiation Protection in Medicine, Radiation Protection in Industry; and Occupational and Environmental Exposure. The paper will briefly summarize the activities that were undertaken to address a number of regional as well as national issues in radiation protection. The Philippine participation as well as our contribution in achieving the overall goals and objectives of the project will be highlighted. Harmonization and upgrading individual monitoring programs for workers occupationally exposed to radiation is a major objective of the project on radiation protection. The project primarily addresses dosimetry needs through regional intercomparisons and workshops to ensure reliability and accuracy of results reported by national dosimetry providers. The paper will outline the results of the Philippine participation in personal dosimetry intercomparison for photons conducted in three phases over a number of years from 1991. The paper will also highlight current national efforts to harmonize the planned project activities with those of the new IAEA Model Projects in Radiation Protection. (author)

[en] Radioisotopes have made an impact on medicine and on biological studies in general. They have extended the range of diagnostic radiology and increased the scope of radiotherapy. They are now used in investigations of thyroid function and body composition, erythrocytes survival, plasma volume measurement, vitamin B₁₂ absorption, and insulin assay. In neurological and neuro-surgical practice, brain scanning using Hg¹⁹⁷ or Tc99sup(m) in the form of pertechnetate is used to establish the diagnosis and localization of intra-cranial lesions. In radiotherapy, Co-60 has enabled the production of therapeutic apparatus with sources from a few hundred curies up to 3,000 or more. Radioactive iodine is used to determine thyroid abnormality, as well as reduce hyper-activity of the gland. P-32 is used effectively in some haematological disorders, particularly polycythaemia vera, and found to be good beta ray emitter for the treatment of superficial skin conditions. Au-198 colloid solution could treat serious effusion by insertion into the pleural or peritoneal cavity. For public health protection, doses to an individual which could cause a somatic hazard are considerably less than those considered by international protection standards to be acceptable

[en] Radiation and radioactive materials have been used widely in the Philippines for the last four decades and have made substantial contributions to the improvement of the life and welfare of the Filipino people. In spite of the unsuccessful attempt to operate a nuclear power, plant, the country, through the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute has consistently pursued an active small nuclear applications program to promote the peaceful applications of nuclear energy while also mandated to ensure radiation safety through nuclear regulations and radioactive materials licensing. Another government agency, the Radiation Health Services (RHS) of the Department of Health was created much later to address the growing concern on radiation hazards from electrically generated radiation devices and machines. The RHS has been strengthened later to include non-ionizing radiation health hazards and has expanded to include a biomedical engineering and non-radiation related medical equipment. The paper will describe the historical perspective highlighting the basis of the national regulatory framework to ensure that only qualified individuals are authorized to use radioactive materials and radiation emitting machines/devices. The development of national training programs in radiation protection and experiences in implementing these programs will be presented. National efforts to strengthen the radiation protection infrastructure through the establishment, improvement and upgrading of a number of facilities and capabilities in radiation protection related work activities will be discussed including participation in national, regional and international intercomparison programs to ensure accuracy, reliability, reproducibility and comparability of dose measurements. Lastly, data on the status of small nuclear applications and related activities in the country will be presented including a number of current issues related to the adoption of the new international basic safety standards in the national regulations and corresponding guidance documents. The paper will also include the preparatory and future work activities to be carried out in connection with the government's option to include nuclear power in the over all development plan. (author)

[en] This paper describes the various studies conducted at the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission to test the performance and accuracy of the film badge as a personnel monitoring device and to determine the magnitude of the random errors and variations in the film badge measurements of radiation exposures. Inherent and non-inherent sources of error such as latent image fading, angular dependence, energy dependence, effect of heat treatment variations of developing time and developer temperature, and absorption of beta radiations by the film wrapper were investigated and found to contribute significantly to the compound errors in film badge dosimetry. Recommendations to improve the techniques in order to minimize these errors are also discussed. The results obtained in this work is intended to establish more accurate and precise methods of personnel monitoring and should help in the understanding and control of these various sources of error in order to eliminate some doubts as to the adequacy of the film badge as a routine personnel dosimeter

[en] This study was initiated late in the Coordinated Research Programme (CRP), and is expected to continue beyond the termination of the CRP. The study proposes to assess the radiological impact to the population from the transportation of radioactive materials in the Philippines. Actual measurements of radiation dose to transport workers are being undertaken to be correlated with the estimated values that will be derived from INTERTRAN calculations. Results of measurements on transport workers will be extrapolated to account for the total population of the country. To date, the INTERTRAN code has been adopted to the VAX-11/750 computer system with few modifications. Preliminary results have shown reasonable agreement between measured and calculated values of radiation doses of transport workers. More shipment data and other relevant parameters are being collected to ensure validity of results

[en] The Regional Cooperative Agreement (RCA) for Asia and Oceania is the first of four current regional programs of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Organized in 1972, RCA now has 17 Member States- Australia, Bangladesh, Peoples Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. A number of projects related to applications of a wide range of nuclear technologies are conducted through RCA. In 1987, an RCA project was formulated and initially aimed at strengthening regional radiation protection infrastructures. The regional approach to addressing radiation protection issues allows Member States to take advantage of regional resources to solve common problems. The paper briefly summarizes the extent of nuclear applications in the country, which impacts directly on radiation safety, and the status of current initiatives that are being pursued to address a number of national issues in radiation safety. The Philippine participation in this project will be presented briefly with the benefits and achievements that resulted from this participation, such as; in the external dosimetry intercomparison programs, the establishment of an Asian Reference Asian Man and in the trialing of the Distance Learning training modules for radiation protection. (author)

[en] Interest in the application of radiation in industry is being shown worldwide as it offers potential technological advantages as well as safety and economy in the field of radiation sterilization, food irradiation and processing of a variety of products widely used today. High accuracy of dose measurement requires a reliable dosimetry method and established traceability of measurement to national standards by means of reference dosimetry besides the routine dosimetry. This paper reviews the recent advances in radiation dosimetry measurements at high doses. The most recently evaluated physical and dosimetrical properties of various dosimetry systems are presented. The current activities relative to the provision of an international dose assurance service to irradiation facilities all over the world are outlined. (author)

[en] Radioecological studies being undertaken in the Philippines are outlined. The basic concern is centered on providing sufficient baseline data for surveillance of the radioactive emission on the first Philippine Nuclear Power Plant and to verify parameters needed for dose calculations as they apply to tropical conditions. Investigations on natural radioactivity measurements, bioaccumulation and concentration factors, tritium behaviour in the ecosystem, radioisotope emissions from geologic fuel sources and regulation of the radioactive emission to the environment are described. Problems facing radioecological researches on the Philippines are briefly outlined as well as future plans up to the year 2000. (author)

[en] The science Act of 1958 created the Philippine Atomic Energy Commission, presently known as the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The PNRI is tasked with the dual role of promotion and control of the peaceful applications of atomic energy. To carry its mandate of regulation and control on the use of raioisotopes in various fields, the PNRI had promulgated and issued specific regulations known as the Code of PNRI regulations. This paper summarizes the activities undertaken by PNRI in the continuing process of review and subsequent revisions of the Code of PNRI regulations and related guidance documents. It highlights proposed modifications in the present regulations in an attempt to adopt the new international basic safety standards, the practical problems and related issues attendant to the implementation of these new standards, among others. In line with the overall objective of PNRI to ensure the safe application of nuclear energy and radiation technology in various fields, the institute conducted a series of regulatory information conferences to provide an opportunity for members of the regulatory staff of the PNRI and licenses to discuss safety initiatives and regulatory issues. This paper will also provide an in-depth assessment of the lessons learned from these conferences which were conducted by sector or by specific applications for a more focused approach, e.g. radiopharmaceuticals, industrial radiography, research, among others. Licensees' feedback on the PNRI regulatory process are presented as part of the overall objective of enhancing the operational experiences of the licensing, review and evaluation group as well as that of inspection, enforcement and compliance. Several proposed initiatives for consideration of the PNRI to further strengthen its regulatory functions are also briefly outlined. (author)

[en] Radioactive sources are used in many fields of peaceful applications and continue to benefit human society in many different ways. Although radioactive sources are generally managed safely and securely and that they bring benefits to our people, accidents involving radioactive sources have occurred in a number of countries, some with serious - even fatal - consequences. Starting from the Philippine participation in the International Conference on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Materials held in Dijon, France in 1998 , the Buenos Aires Conference in 2001 and until recently, the Hofburg Conference, a Philippine Action Plan for the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources was formulated and later revised by the PNRI following the guidance contained in the revised IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources. This action plan is currently being implemented as an integral part of our national effort to enhance and strengthen the safety and security of radioactive sources under the regulatory control of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute. The Philippines, through an official communication in February 2004 addressed to the IAEA Director General, expressed a non binding political commitment and stated among others, that it fully supports and endorses the IAEA's efforts to enhance the safety and security of radioactive sources and that it is working towards this end following the guidance contained in the revised Code. The paper describes our past and current initiatives to ensure that radioactive sources are used within an appropriate framework of radiation safety and security and in accordance with the principles contained in the Revised IAEA Code of Conduct for the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources. (author)