Ligtas Hangin

Concerned groups petition government to stop smoke belchers in EDSA

2010-04-29T21:33:00.000-07:00

29 April 2010 (Pasig City) – With the May polls just days away, representatives from different organizations located along or near EDSA have signed a petition urging “national and local leaders to mount a serious and sustained enforcement effort to remove smoke belchers along major roads in Metro Manila, starting with EDSA, in the first 100 days after the May elections.”

The petition was signed at the 1st Metro Manila Anti-Smoke Belching Conference, held at the Megatent in Pasig City, and organized by the Metro Manila Anti-Smoke Belching Association (MMASBA) with 17 Local Government Units (LGUs). The event has the full support of several government agencies such as the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Land Transportation Office (LTO). The event also witnessed the signing of the memorandum of understanding on the uniformity of apprehension procedures by MMASBA, the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO) and other transport groups. There are currently 17 LGU level and 3 national level anti-smoke belching units (ASBUs) in Metro Manila.

“The need to join hands to address air pollution is imperative,” said LTO Chief Bert Suansing. “We all have a stake in this enterprise.” He added that the solution should involve a “holistic us” and not just “you” or “me.”

For Raquel Austria-Naciongayo, MMASBA President, her hope is that the incoming administration will make clean air a priority once again. “We need to put the smoke belching problem back in the public agenda. Air pollution is not limited to direct road side exposure. It spreads to the surrounding neighborhoods. Rich and poor aren’t spared from its effects. This should be a partnership between commuters and the anti-smoke belching units.”

Air pollution is responsible for nearly 5,000 deaths in Metro Manila each year. The nationwide cost of treatment is 962 million pesos annually. Yearly economic losses are even greater – 6.7 billion pesos. People who live within 500 meters from a major road are likely to be exposed to critical levels of air pollution, which implies that these neighborhoods are at a significantly greater risk of asthma, lung diseases, heart attacks, and cancer. Walking, biking or driving along these roads makes people more vulnerable to air pollution … and riding an air conditioned vehicle offers no protection.

“The Partnership for Clean Air (PCA) and the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia), launched the Ligtas Hangin campaign last year to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Clean Air Act,” said PCA President Rene Pineda. “This year, we want to focus the campaign on smoke belching. By bringing together representatives from village associations, schools, malls, hospitals, we may be able to see real results before the end of the year. Smoke belching affects everyone from all walks of life.”

Former DENR Secretary Bebet Gozun is equally optimistic. “We were able to gather five million signatures in support of the passage of the Clean Air Act of 1999,” she said. “I don’t see why we can’t repeat or surpass that number in the era of Facebook and Twitter. As we gain public support for this initiative, we hope that it will lead to more voluntary compliance by the private sector and more effective enforcement by the government.”

Anti-Smoke Belching (an Earth Day special feature)

2010-04-22T20:00:00.000-07:00

As the world celebrates Earth Day (22 April), we often need to remind ourselves that all journeys -- no matter how long and difficult -- always begin with simple steps.

In the case of the Philippines, the Ligtas Hangin ("save the air") campaign for 2010 is focused on getting "smoke belchers" out of Metro Manila's EDSA highway and other major roads. A smoke belcher is the term used for vehicles that do not meet the national emission standards. Ligtas Hangin is being spearheaded by the Partnership for Clean Air, CAI-Asia's country network in the Philippines.

Epifanio De Los Santos Avenue (EDSA for short) is the Metro Manila's main artery. It is approximately 24kms long, and it cuts across the length of city similar to New York's 5th Avenue or Hong Kong's Nathan Road. EDSA also has great historical significance and symbolism because it was the site of the 1986 People Power Revolution which gave democracy back to Filipinos after a 20-year dictatorship.

Unfortunately, due to increased motorization, EDSA is also heavily polluted with smoke belching buses, trucks, taxis and private vehicles.

The facts speak for themselves:

Air pollution is responsible for nearly 5,000 deaths in Metro Manila each year. The nationwide cost of treatment is 962 million pesos annually. Yearly economic losses are even greater – 6.7 billion pesos.
People who live within 500 meters from a major road are likely to be exposed to critical levels of air pollution, which implies that these neighborhoods are at a significantly greater risk of asthma, lung diseases, heart attacks, and cancer.
Walking, biking or driving along these roads makes people more vulnerable to air pollution … and riding an air conditioned vehicle offers no protection.

Last week on 13 April, CAI-Asia, through PCA, gathered stakeholders from different organizations (such as homeowner associations, schools, and shopping malls) to draft a petition calling for the government to enforce the Clean Air Act of 1999 and take action to remove smoke belchers from EDSA and other main roads within Metro Manila. With support from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the petition will be signed on 29 April. It will also be used to highlight the importance of clean air for the upcoming general elections in May 2010, calling for newly elected officials to do something in their first 100 days in office.

But the Ligtas Hangin campaign does not stop there. CAI-Asia would like to take it one step further.

November is clean air month in the Philippines. It is a time when government agencies and civil society groups coordinate activities to raise awareness about air pollution and its link to climate change. CAI-Asia would like to promote the idea of a "clean air month" in other Asian countries.

These are simple steps that make the journey worthwhile.

Happy Earth Day everyone!

Celebrating Clean Air Month with the Partnership for Clean Air

2009-12-15T19:52:00.000-08:00

Vicky Segovia, Executive Director of the the Partnership for Clean Air (PCA) -- CAI-Asia’s country network in the Philippines -- had her hands full last November as the country celebrated national Clean Air Month. The list of activities consisted of workshops, seminars, forums, program and product launches, and recognition ceremonies promoting reductions in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Most of these events were organized with together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Transport and Communication (DOTC), and key international partners including Asian Development Bank, Asian Clean Fuels Association (ACFA), German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), and the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV).

Marking the start of the Clean Air Month, DENR Secretary Jose Atienza, Jr. urged local governments to take action to improve air quality. “The Clean Air Act and national government efforts are not enough to solve this problem,” he said at a workshop for cities. “The real implementation happens in our cities, our communities.”

“More work, however, needs to be done especially now that air pollution and climate change are strongly linked,” he said. “Bringing air pollution down to safe levels can cut on greenhouse gas emissions thus halting the effects of climate change.”

“Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions often come from the same sources, and black carbon and ozone also contribute to climate change.” explains Sophie Punte, CAI-Asia Center’s Executive Director. “This means that taking smoke belching vehicles off the road is good for blue skies and a better climate.”

The private sector are also doing their part. Pacific Paint (Boysen) Philippines launched KNOxOUT, a new paint product that uses nanotechnology to remove nitrogen oxides from the air. A pilot trial was conducted in a busy metro station with impressive results. “It’s like planting a tree to neutralize our carbon footprint,” says Boysen’s Johnson Ongking. “Now we can paint walls to neutralize our NOx footprint. Every wall is a potential air purifier.” (see www.oneworldonewall.com for more information)

The CAI-Asia Center and PCA used the Clean Air Month to revive the attention for reducing air pollution in Philippine cities. Half-a-million people a year die prematurely in Asia because of air pollution, while climate change threatens the well being of people. Health costs associated with air pollution are estimated at half a billion dollars each year in Metro Manila and other major Philippine cities.

"We’ve achieved a lot since the Clean Air Act was introduced ten years ago such as the removal of lead and reduction of sulfur levels in fuel,” says PCA’s Chair Rene Pineda. “However, a lot remains to be done. For example, polluting 2-stroke tricycles still dominate and we need funds to replace them with cleaner 4-stroke tricycles.”

Organizers identified the outstanding achievements from various sectors at the national and local level since the enactment of the landmark Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999:

Bio-Fuels Act (see special report on page 6)
Renewable Energy Act
Cleaner fuels through lowering of sulfur in diesel and benzene and aromatics in gasoline
Marikina bikeways
Unleaded fuel
Electric tricycles in Fort Bonifacio and electric jeepneys in Makati City
Smoke-free ordinances
Anti-smoke belching efforts
Wind power in Ilocos
Biomass use by industries
LPG taxis
Replacement of 2-stroke tricycles with 4-stroke models in San Fernando, La Union, and Mandaluyong

Road to Clean Air and Better Climate

2009-11-08T18:17:00.000-08:00

November is dubbed “Clean Air Month” and as part of this celebration, DENR Secretary Jose Atienza urges everyone, especially local government offices to help in improving air quality across the nation. He said in a workshop held last October 26, “The Clean Air Act and national government efforts are not enough to solve this problem. The real implementation happens in our cities, our communities.”

Ten years have passed since the implementation of the Clean Air Act. These ten years have seen the removal of lead and reduction of sulfur levels in fuel. Campaigns against smoke belching are currently being done by different cities across the country. At present, one of the major projects of the PCA is to replace 2-stroke engine motorcycles to 4-stroke ones, and preferably – to those using renewable and clean fuels. Still, the need to do more is there.

One of the most important things that need to be done is to spread awareness to the communities about air pollution and how it greatly affects climate change, one of the biggest issues the world is facing today. At present, air pollution has been the cause of most respiratory illnesses especially with the children and the elderly. Over half a billion dollars on health cost due respiratory illnesses are known to be associated with air pollution. The effect of air pollution not only manifests itself in the poor health of people but it also can be felt by the drastic changes in our climate.

Partnership for Clean Air (PCA) and Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia) Center hopes to use Clean Air month to spread awareness on the current air pollution problems that we are facing. A series of workshops and events are planned in November by DENR, and DOTC with international partners like ADB, ACFA, GTZ and PCFV. These workshops would center on air quality management and sustainable transport.

On December, during the Climate Change Convention in Copenhagen (known to all as COP15), air pollution would likely be one of the concerns that would be tackled. As explained by Ms. Sophie Punte, Executive Director for CAI-Asia, “Air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions often come from the same sources, and black carbon and ozone also contribute to climate change. This means that taking smoke belching vehicles off the road is good for blue skies and a better climate.”

Clean Air Month's Updated Schedule:

9 November
Seminar on Cleaning the Air for LGUs of Metro Manila
Sulo Hotel

10 November
Makati Green Route: Opening of First Charging Station and Depot for Electric Vehicles
Makati Fire Station, Ayala Ave. Ext. Makati City

12 November
Forum on Greening the Transport Sector - with BEST Recognition
Heritage Hotel, EDSA, Pasay City

"One-Wall-One-World" Launching of Boysen KNOxOUT - A Fight for Cleaner Air
"First Paint with Revolutionary Cleaning Technology"
Makati Shangri-la Hotel, Makati City

11-13 November
Seminar for McDonald's Pollution Control Officers: Lecture on Air & Water, Climate Change, Ozone Layer Protection and Solid Waste Management
Valero, Makati City

17 November
Biofuels Forum

18 November
Roundtable Forum on Clean Air 10 Celebrations
Sulo Hotel, Quezon City

19 November
Awarding of Winners for the National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools
SM City, North EDSA, 4th Floor, The Annex

19-20 November
Launching of Philippine Youth Environment Network (PhilYEN)
Theme: Kabataan Sama-Samang Naninindigan Para Sa Kalikasan
Leong Hall, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City

22 November
Clean Air Month Critical Mass Ride: Costumed Bicycle Ride to Celebrate Clean Air Month and 10th Anniversary of the Clean Air Act
Intercity - Quezon City - Manila - Quezon City

23-27 November
East Asian Seas Congress 2009
Theme: Partnerships at Work - Local Implementation and Good Practices
Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City

25-27 November
Seminar for McDonald's Pollution Control Officers: Lecture on Air & Water, Climate Change, Ozone Layer Protection and Solid Waste Management
Valero, Makati City

25-26 November
National Senior Educator's Assembly 2009
Theme: The Environmental Awareness and Education Law (Republic Act 9512), and the Challenges for Building a Climate Change - Resilient Nation
Hotel Stotsenberg, Clark Field, Pampanga

Clean Air Month - Calendar of Events

2009-10-21T19:35:00.000-07:00

November 2009 is Clean Air Month in the Philippines. A number of activities are happening as part of the overall Clean Air 10 celebrations.

22 October
Workshop on Clean Air for Philippine Cities

6 November
Seminar on Cleaning the Air for LGUs of Metro Manila

12 November
Forum on Greening the Transport Sector – with BEST Awards

12 November
Product launch of KNOxOUT, a new paint product from Boysen Philippines

13 November
Roundtable Discussion on Improving Air Quality in the Philippines

16 November
National Workshop on Clean Fuels and Vehicles

17 November
Biofuels Forum

16 – 19 November
Exhibition of Regional Finalists for National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools

19 November
Awarding of Winners for the National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools

19 – 20 November
Launching of Philippine Youth Environment Network (PhilYEN)
Theme: Kabataan Sama-Samang Naninindigan Para Sa Kalikasan

23 – 27 November
East Asian Seas Congress 2009
Theme: Partnerships at Work – Local Implementation and Good Practices

25 – 26 November
National Senior Educators’ Assembly 2009
Theme: The Environmental Awareness and Education Law (Republic Act 9512), and the Challenges for Building a Climate Change – Resilient Nation

More Local Government Units Adopting Smoke Free Policies

2009-10-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

Rommel Ariola of Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP) has just informed us that a number of new LGUs are adopting Smoke Free Policies through ordinances and other tobacco control initiatives.

"Right after our Clean Air 10 in June, DOH NCR formally launched its Smoke Free cities project under Bloomberg Grants which will benefit 7 cities in Metro Manila. In July we have seen the successive Smoke Free Ordinance launches of two municipalities, Amlan (Negros Oriental) and Talisayan (Misamis Oriental). Recently the Smoke Free Ordinance of Umingan (Pangasinan) has been approved by the Provincial Board and a few others are still in the works as far as preparing for their SF legislations. The Cavite Provincial Govt have likewise done so which shall take effect within the capitol compound and all its offices. The Civil Service Commission had intended to time the launch of its Memo Circular on Smoke Free policies for all govt agencies/offices supposedly during the Civil Service month (Sept) but will probably do so very soon.

"We are currently conducting workshops here in Tacloban to gain more LGUs from Leyte to adapt comprehensive tobacco control measures and help them with local legislation. We are committed to do this through our strategic partners in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao throughout the duration of our program and would be handing out awards on Best Practices in the near future, in partnership with WHO and the DOH."

Perhaps Smoke Free Ordinances is one of the things we can to celebrate in Clean Air Month.

CLEAN AIR 10 DECLARATION

2009-06-24T13:30:00.000-07:00

Sign the petition. Be counted.

CLEAN AIR 10 DECLARATION

24 JUNE 2009

We the delegates to the “National Conference on Empowering LGUs to Clean the Air and Address Climate Change through Partnerships,” representing national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academe, private sector, civil society and concerned individuals:

Recognize that the Philippine Clean Air Act (CAA) of 1999 is now ten years old.

Acknowledge that various organizations have started to implement air quality measures and programs focusing mostly on fuel quality and mobile sources; that while these initiatives have reaped initial gains the quality of air in major cities and municipalities continue to degrade; that air pollution has serious impacts on public health; that there are still areas in the CAA provisions and implementation that require immediate attention such as indoor air pollution and area sources.

Realize the need to continue the initiative of the 5 million stakeholders who signed the petition to enact this legislation; consolidate stakeholder efforts in the next years; renew commitments and reinvigorate efforts to finally achieve clean air; build on initial gains and existing organization networks; propose measures that take into account the close linkage of air pollution with other environmental and social problems such as climate change, tobacco smoke, solid waste, deforestation, vehicular traffic and including poverty.

Do hereby commit to uphold the values of the Ligtas Hangin campaign:

Recognize our common right to breathe clean and healthy air;

Believe that open, transparent and peaceful dialogue can effect real change;

Acknowledge that win-win solutions do exist;

Align activities that support better air quality in the Philippines;

Thereby declare the following ten-point actions (Clean Air 10):

1. We urge the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to create a multi-stakeholder committee to improve information dissemination on clean air technologies by creating and maintaining a database of the technologies verified by relevant government agencies which is readily accessible to the public.

2. We urge the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Transport and Communications (DOTC), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), DOST, other concerned government agencies, and media to come up with a general direction and strategy including core messages to be communicated nationwide (e.g., the quality of air that people breathe, all sources and impacts of air pollution, solutions to reduce air pollution) and a scientific, systematic, target-specific and sustainable monitoring and evaluation system for the clean air and climate change campaign.

3. We urge the heightened collaboration of the private sector, particularly multi-media groups, malls/stores, mass transit systems, to provide free avenues for promoting the clean air and climate change campaigns, as well as professional groups, academe and church-based organizations, to volunteer technical skills for information dissemination and capacity-building aspects of the campaign.

4. We urge the DILG, the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP), and the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), in the short-term, to encourage local government units (LGU)s to designate Environment and Natural Resources Officers (ENROs) and establish Anti-Smoke Belching Units (ASBUs) or other positions to implement clean air and climate change programs and projects and, in the long-term, to support the amendment of the Local Government Code to make the ENRO position mandatory.

5. We urge the DENR, DOTC, DILG, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Local Government Academy (LGA), LGUs, the academe and other expert groups, to organize technical trainings (e.g., assessing air quality status of the airshed, determining appropriate policy measures to reduce air pollution, engaging stakeholders in planning, regular reporting to the public, translating these measures at the barangay level), and provide logistical support (e.g., emission testing equipment) to airshed governing boards and LGUs.

6. We strongly request the TESDA, the LGUs, engine manufacturers (e.g., Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association, MDPPA), NGOs, and local experts to institutionalize technical training of operators, drivers and mechanics/service centers on emission control measures (e.g., preventive maintenance, eco-driving) and explore with other concerned government agencies the possibility of providing an incentive and penalty system that will encourage clean air compliance and discourage smoke belchers (e.g., mandating preventive maintenance training as requirement for issuance of permit to operate).

7. We urge all national government agencies and LGUs to strengthen implementation by strictly enforcing the provisions of the Clean Air Act, especially anti-smoke belching campaign, ban on smoking in public places and incineration ban and the provisions of RA 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act) on open burning; to issue the appropriate executive orders and enact the necessary ordinances to address the policy gaps (e.g., control of tricycle franchises issued by LGUs, widen and strengthen roadside apprehensions (on smoke-belching) of Land Transport Office (LTO)-deputized groups, penalizing idling of vehicles, encourage non-motorized and non-polluting modes of transport) and to make regular reports to the public of these actions taken.

8. We urge the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Department of Finance (DOF) to hasten the release of funds intended for clean air programs and encourage the LGUs to tap existing government funds already provided by law such as:

a) The Road Users’ Tax, which mandates a 7.5 percent allocation for road transport pollution control programs like the current Special Vehicle Pollution Control Fund (SPVCF) with the DOTC. Tap the same road users’ to create a proposed TricyCLEAN fund for the tricycle sector which also contributes substantially to the fund.

b) Extended Value Added Tax (EVAT) share of LGUs, of which 15 percent is mandated to be spent on environmental projects as it is provided under Section 21-D of R.A. 9337, also known as the EVAT law)

9. We urge Local Government Units (LGUs) to create their own local or counterpart “Air Quality Management Fund’ (AQMF), which they may call as the Clean Air Fund for the Environment (CAFÉ). This fund can easily be computed based on corresponding health impact cost over fuel consumption per locality. We also urge both Houses of Congress to amend the CAA provision on the AQMF to make it a revolving fund which is more readily accessible for use to implement clean air programs and projects and to also strengthen their oversight function.

10. We urge the oil companies and related industries, which directly or indirectly contribute to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, to institutionalize their support to clean air and climate change actions by committing to the following:

a) In consultation with the transport sector, redirect the fuel price discounts, which they already grant voluntarily to the transport sector, into a special fund to finance various clean air initiatives and programs of the transport sector;

b) Support a carbon tax or environmental tax on their fuel and other products to fund clean air programs, research and GHG-reduction initiatives such as adoption of clean technologies, reforestation, mangroves and coral reef rehabilitation, and clean air enforcement and monitoring projects (i.e., smoke belching, Motor Vehicle Inspection System (MVIS), emission testing, empowering Airshed Governing Boards, checking other pollution sources like pesticide etc.) Support for these economic instruments is in line with globally-accepted principles such as the Polluters’ Pay Principle (PPP), Extended Producers’ Responsibility (EPR), and the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

We further commit to the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the Clean Air 10 actions; to urge relevant organizations to regularly report their progress; and, to disseminate these M&E reports; as well as to urge other government agencies, organizations, sectors, communities, and individuals to sign this Declaration and implement their own sector/area-specific or personal Clean Air 10 actions.

Sign the petition. Be counted.

Ligtas Hangin Launches on 10th Anniversary of Clean Air Act

2009-06-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

June 23, 2009 | Marikina City

A Campaign to Save the Air

Air pollution has long been on the agenda of environmental experts and specialists, but to create real change, a campaign called Ligtas Hangin formally launches today at the Clean Air 10 Conference (June 23-24, Skyline Riverbend Hotel, Marikina City), on the 10th anniversary of the Philippine Clean Air Act.

“We all have one thing in common: we breathe. And air does not discriminate,” says Mike Co, Knowledge and Communications Manager of the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia) Center. “If there’s one lesson that we should’ve learned 10 years after the enactment of the Clean Air Act, it’s crucial to make sure the general public – and not only experts and environmentalists -- understands and cares about the local and global impact of air pollution.”

Embodying the need to democratize the air pollution problem, Ligtas Hangin is not a new organization or initiative, Co stresses. “It’s a social campaign spearheaded by the CAI-Asia Center with a common logo that can be used by any organization fighting for clean air in the Philippines. There are no membership or registration fees to join the campaign. Ligtas Hangin is open to all individuals who share the same values.”

For CAI-Asia and the Partnership for Clean Air, these values are
• recognizing the right to breathe clean, healthy air
• believing that open, transparent and peaceful dialogue can effect real change
• acknowledging that win-win solutions do exist
• aligning activities to support better air quality in the Philippines
• spreading the word about Ligtas Hangin

“Ten years ago, five million signatures were gathered in support of clean air,” Co says. “Where are these people today? I believe we can easily surpass that number with today’s tech savvy youth.”

Ligtas Hangin - the new face of clean air

2009-04-23T20:29:00.000-07:00