Manila, June 20 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the Philippines is open to partnering with Russia in advancing the country's nuclear energy program as part of efforts to strengthen long-term energy security and diversify power resources.

In an interview with Russia Today (RT) on the sidelines of his working visit to Kazan, Marcos said the Philippines is evaluating emerging nuclear technologies, particularly small modular reactors (SMRs), which he described as a promising option for an archipelagic country.

"There are two elements to that. One is the technology. Is technology ready? Is the technology ready to be used as an actual power source?" Marcos said during the interview uploaded on the RT website on Friday.

He noted tha...