Ligtas Hangin Launches on 10th Anniversary of Clean Air Act

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.”