September 26 marks the World Environmental
Health Day. Now more
than ever, the Philippine
Movement for Climate
Justice (PMCJ) underscores how the Clean
Air Act has been ironically veering away from
clean air and how the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) fails its
mandate with its faulty
air monitors and questionable policies.
First, the Clean Air
Act was established in
the Philippines in 1999
to “protect and advance
the right of the people to
a balanced and healthful
ecology in accord with
the rhythm and harmony of nature.” However,
decades after, air quality
in the country has only
worsened.
Last Week, Metro
Manila experienced horrible smog, a result of
pollution from vehicles
and factories. Provincial
areas such as Batangas,
Toledo (Cebu), Masinloc
(Zambales), and Malita
(Davao Occidental) likewise experience poor
air quality due to the
burning of fossil fuels at
power plants hosted in
their communities.
These problems
with pollution are worsened by the fact that our
air quality standards
are hazardous. Our limits for air pollutants are
currently set 2-5 times
more than what is recommended by the World
Health Organization
(WHO). This means that
our air is dirtier. THE
HIGHER THE VALUE OF
LIMITS FOR AIR POLLUTANTS, THE DIRTIER
THE AIR.
Second, we also lack
air quality monitors that
can accurately measure
the level of pollution
throughout the country.
According to DENR, 33
air monitoring stations
in Metro Manila alone
need to be upgraded. We
do not need “plans” to
increase these monitoring screens, WE NEED
CONCRETE ACTIONS TO
HAVE MORE AIR QUALITY MONITORS. Our air is
dirtier because authorities allow it.
MARCOS JR. ADMINISTRATION, SETTLE YOUR PRIORITIES!
ACT FAST AND WITH
RESOLVE IN REDUCING
POLLUTION AND GLOBAL WARMING!
The Filipinos literally cannot breathe
anymore yet you remain
idle! Transform your energy in defend