Makati air cleaner since 2006
By Jose Rodel Clapano (The Philippine Star) Updated September 06, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (4)
MANILA, Philippines - Makati’s air quality has improved since 2006, according to Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay Jr.
“The relentless efforts of the city government to combat air pollution for many years now have achieved tangible improvement in the quality of air we breathe in Makati,” he said.
Binay said monitoring by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources showed that the city’s air quality has an average reading of 124 micrograms per normal cubic meter in the first six months of 2010.
This means that air quality in the city has improved by a significant reduction of 32 micrograms per normal cubic meter from its average Total Suspended Particles (TSP) level of 156 microgram per normal cubic meter recorded in the same period in 2006, he added.
Binay said the city government has consistently promoted strict adherence to the Clean Air Act of 1999 and the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003.
“The city’s advocacy for clean air, true healthy and save environment for all its stakeholders is attributable to the strong multi-sectoral participation,” he said.
Binay said the enactment of the city’s own Emission Control Code and the Revised Anti-Smoking Ordinance has given more teeth to environmental laws.
He vowed to sustain existing environmental initiatives, like the campaign against smoke-belching vehicles and smoking in public places and public vehicles and the promotion of smokeless alternative means of transportation like electric jeepneys.
“The problem of air pollution is one of the toughest challenges we face, given the sheer volume of vehicles plying the city’s thoroughfares everyday. But as recent developments show, we are definitely making progress,” he said.