Govt agency in charge of monitoring air pollution reports 3x level of pollution post New Year compared to last year

Clean air, act

From Rappler by Pia Ranada




EMB of DENR, using PM (particulate matter ) 10 as a gauge (as mandated by Clean Air Act) for the said agency to monitor was up 3x compared to the same period last year.  While this did not look very visible, it is indeed alarming.   WHO monitors the PM 2.5, the much smaller particles, (they can enter the lungs, alveoli and the cardiovascular system causing not only respiratory disease but also cardio vascular diseases)  We have to amend the law so that DENR employs the new and more relevant health related monitoring.  We were fortunate though the sun shone brightly the following day, and there was light breeze, so the pollutants might have been blown over the ocean (where they could precipitate typhoons, and we did have typhoons lately hahaha)

Air Pollution Watch report today November 24, 2013

It is more fun without air pollution

Rizal PHL  |  November 24, 2013

 Ortigas CBD viewed from Alta Vista, Antipolo City

We must stop finger pointing, or staging hunger strike in other countries to force them to reduce their carbon.   Let us start in our own country.  If the air pollution is this blatant in our country, can we expect others to do any better.   Let us not have the illusion that the super typhoon, the climate change in our country came from  distant country in North or South America.  We are the people nearest this country.  (It is like smelling bad breath, when the very first mouth nearest to us is our mouth). May be these post will mean something to our regulators, enforcers of the Clean Air Act:  (LTO/DOTC  Hmm they are busy shooting with the top Gun)

How many more super typhoons do we need before we take action?

                                     Bikers breathing in smoke laden air; will we get sick soon?

 x

                          What is the relation of this jeepney to climate change? Can we understand that?

                 When shall be responsible citizens/motorists, LTO as responsible enforcer of CAA?

                                   On the way up to smokey city  -  Antipolo City

                                   Is there a clear day when you see Ortigas CBD?

 x

                                 Was it the jeepney or the tricycle that emitted the smoke?

                                      I patiently waited to get this picture, perfect!

                            Hmm what is the relation of this photo to a gestation of supertyphoon?

                      Can your read the sign, "Gift of God"  Is this dirty smoke a gift of God?

Total disregard of clean air act - smoking in jeepneys

Air pollution kills

Yesterday, I commuted to Quezon City to attend a GSB graduation in  leading university.  And I took the jeepney up to Sta.  Lucia.  And this driver was smoking, defiantly, stubbornly and brazenly even disobeying the LFTRB prohibition inside the vehicles.

These gentlemen will promptly follow the laws on fare increases (which are for their own benefit of course) but will not do the same thing that will encroach on their habits/personal life.

Can we stop smoking in closed spaces/public vehicles (the second smoke are worse than the first smoke because these are finer particles PM 2.5)

Picasa photo web album slideshow of worst polluters

Rizal  PHL   |   May 6, 2013

These are pictures at street level of cause of worsening air pollution in MM.  They are seen daily, day and night and they proliferate uncontrolled despite:   vehicle emission testing;  roadside smokebelching tests, flying squads and scores of agencies that abound.  I wonder whether the comelec checkpoints should have been devoted to this instead?

I marvel at the magic of Picasa photo web album.  As you watch the slideshow, you may hyperventilate or not be able to breathe

Innovative ways of catching vehicles that dirty Metro Manila air

Antipolo City, PHL   |   April 28, 2013

 Tricycle ascending Manila East Road near Philec;  it is spewing white smoke (oil);   its oil rings are busted?  Just one tricycle like this can wreck havoc on the air quality.  And there are plenty!

I am not member of any advocacy or cause oriented bloggers, or group or PCIJ or trained to do investigative work.  I work on intuition and hunches.  I find it difficult to stand at street corners and take pictures of offending vehicles (emitting dirty smoke).  I wonder why. 

I found out that vehicles operate differently when:  they are stationary, there is no load, not accelerating.  They start to pollute the air or show visible signs of pollutants when:

they are in motion;

they have load (passenger or cargo)

or going uphill.

It is best therefore for authorities with measuring device to:

l.  follow vehicles in motion in motorcycles or other vehicles

2.  do roadside tests near hills or mountains.

3. or do random checking at night (hmmmm that will be opportunity for kotong)  Anyway this is last resort.

 The culprits here are the AUV and the jeepneys as their engines labor going uphills near Philec, Manila East Road

 The van is the smoke belcher going up Beverly hills

   The overloaded jeepney's engine is laboring with heavy smoke going up a curve after Beverly Hills

 The jeepney and the tricycles are the squids

 What is the tricycle doing at the highway;  is its plying the national highway now allowed by law?

 The Clean Air Act here is a big joke;   it does not exist here.

I think these pollution problem exists because of poor implementation, checking and compliance.  (PDCA)

There is a half hearted effort, will to implement this strange law that may have been forced into the lungs of congressman or cabinet secretaries. 

The absence of enforcers, and this situation does not speak well of public governance.  We have good law but maybe a bureacracy that needs kaizen.  I am sorry if this site may have offended certain quarters.  Truth hurts.

Politics and election has something to do with this issue.  While this CCA affects the health of many, this is sacrificed for the short term benefit of getting votes from some 2 million TODA members.  You could lose your income and position if you offend this voter by strictly implementing the law

Have the government agencies enforcing CAA relaxed the rules?

Philippines |  April 21 2013

I tried to observe how come air quality is doubtful and yet many vehicles are running (they passed the emission test obviously?)  If you look closely at their exhaust, there are wisps of smoke coming out even at idle, most especially when they accelerate/speed up

I tried to review the emission standards. And they are pretty stiff.

The question is are we serious, is there a political will to enforce the CAA standards. Obviously not because DOTC relaxed rules on emission standards

I think this emission standards CAA enforcement becomes a political question:

l.  If we are strict in implementing the law, then very few vehicles will pass the test and our transport will grind to a halt?

2.  The TODAs PISTON will be up in  arms and protests?

3.  How will the administration candidates win the election?  Shall we be strict after the election?

4.  Those who earn from the racket of air emissions will send death threat messages to the officials etc.

However, the long term good of all will be sacrificed. 

PM 2.5 level in Metro Manila made by Manila Observatory 2010 to 2011

Manila Philippines April 14, 2013

PM 2.5 in MM from Manila Observatory

The measurements covered July 2010 to June 2011.  The PM 2.5 decreased steadily since 2000.  However the levels exceed the 10 level set by WHO and 25 for a 24 hour period.  The IRR and the Clean Air Act do not prescribe a level for PM 2.5;   only for PM 10!  (is the CAA obselete?)

Please take note that in UK, where PM 2.5 level are in the 11 and l4 level (in London) 40,000 out of l40,000 died from heart attacks attributed to the elevated 2.5 level.

PM 2.5 is a nano particle;  it is 30x thinner than human air and easily lodges into the lungs and RBC and is easily transported via the RBC to cause inflammation and eventually cancer/heart disease.  PM 2.5 is a silent and stealthy killer;  it is invisible

Should CCA be amended to include the PM 2.5 level to protect the health of MM and other Filipino citizens?

At Baguio City, PM 2.5 during early rush hours was observed to be at 110  (That was in 2004 from NCBI)

From PIA - govt to put more PM 10 and PM 2.5 monitoring centers (2012)
Contrary to current thinking Sec. Paje of DENR says that PM 10 monitoring (rather than the deadlier PM2.5) should be given more attention. Well that was a year ago.  Things are different now;  PM 2.5 is the deadlier invisible pollutant level to be watched!