Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the son and namesake of the late Philippine dictator, wants to bring commercial nuclear power to the Southeast Asian country should he maintain his wide lead in the polls and win the 9 May presidential election.

Marcos Jr and running mate Sara Duterte said incorporating nuclear power in the Philippines’ energy mix would lower electricity rates and help secure a steady power source in a country that is plagued by power shortages.

They said in a joint statement that current president’s Rodrigo Duterte’s executive order is a good springboard for the next administration to pursue its nuclear energy objectives.