Air Quality

MAIN REPORT DENR-River Basin Control Office

Ilog-Hilabangan Integrated River Basin Management and Development Master Plan

The growing problem on solid waste management in the entire country needs the public to heighten its concern, participation and involvement for the solution

to such problem.

Issue Region VI Region VIISources of Air Pollution

Mobile source – motor vehicles

Industrial/stationary source – power plant, cement

bagging, feed mills insignificant pollution source

(DENR compliant)

Area source – most affected areas are busy areas like

Iloilo City

Mobile source – motor vehicles

Industrial/stationary source – power plant, cement

plants, sugar mills , food processing plants, beverage

industry

Area source

Results of Air Quality StationsPrograms and Activities

Random vehicle roadside smoke testing and Ambient Air Quality Monitoring at Plazoleta Gay and at Valeria St., all in Iloilo City

A Fun walk was conducted during the environment month celebration including mall exhibit, emission testing of PNP vehicles, mangrove tree planting. During the ozone month celebration, a free MAC and emission testing was conducted, in Bacolod City, Roxas City and Iloilo City

“Bisita Banwa” - a small forum on clean air and the “What is RA 8749”.

Clean Air Month 2010 Poster-making ContestBisita Banwa ActivityWalk for Clean Air 2010Activity Environment Month Celebration 2011 Environmental Quiz Bee

Management of Stationary Sources

A. Air permitting requirements

In managing the stationary sources, air pollution source

equipments must be monitored and inspected regularly. A

valid Permit to Operate-Air is required.

B. Third Party Source Emission Testing

For permitting purposes, as per Memorandum Circular (MC)

2007-003, the industrial facility relating to air quality requires

a third party Stack Sampling Test (SST) thru a private

service provider in order to demonstrate its compliance with

1

Lichel Technologies, Inc., 09/09/14,

Ma’am, here are the email addresses of the PCD officers [email protected][email protected]



the DENR emission standards.

C. Continuous Emission Monitoring

Systems (CEMS)

Pursuant to Section 3 of DAO 2007-22 the existing major

industries with individual sources having the potential to

emit at least 750 tons/year any of the regulated pollutants

listed in Section 4 of Rule IX of DAO 2000-81 measured

after a pollution control installation are required to install

Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS).

Management of Mobile Sources

A. Private Emission Testing Centers

(PETCs)

The monitoring results of 22 centers show that 93 percent passed the leak check for gasoline; gas analyzer and linearity check for diesel opacimeter. However, 19 percent needs improvement.

B. Anti-Smoke Belching

Of the total 485,240 vehicles registered as renewal in

2011, the LTO-7 was able to conduct emission tests to

72,448 vehicles only and 73 percent of which was able to

pass the vehicular emission standard.

2



Management of Area Sources

Management of area sources and other sources in the

region is in coordination with the Local Government Units

(LGUs) thru passing Ordinances and Resolutions. The

LGUs are actively implementing clean air programs such

as the Bantay Sunog Basura (open-burning watch).

INITIATIVES / BEST PRACTICES

4.4.3 City of Bayawan, Negros Oriental

With an active and strong political leadership, Bayawan City

has been in the frontline in implementing projects primarily for

climate change adaptation. In support to the CAA, the

following programs are being undertaken:

A. Campaign for plastic avoidance

and no open burning

This includes information dissemination activities on the

effects of excessive use of plastic bags and open burning.

The following ordinances were also drafted and are now

being deliberated by the Sangguniang Panglungsod: an

Ordinance banning open burning in all barangays and

providing penalties for violations thereof; and an Ordinance

prohibiting the use of plastic bags on dry goods, regulating its

utilization on wet goods, and prohibiting the use of

styrofoams/styropor in the City of Bayawan and prescribing

3



penalties thereof.

B. Biodiesel project

Production and processing of jathropa and coconuts as

alternative fuel for some service vehicles of Bayawan City.

C. Implementation of 10-year SWM Plan

This includes formulation of policy support system;

establishment of materials recovery facility; creation of

garbage collection scheme and fee system;

construction of sanitary landfill and leachate treatment

systems; conduct of information campaigns; and phasing of

implementation of the project in adjacent barangays.

D. Forest Land Use Plan Implementation

Activities for this project comprised the riverbanks and

watersheds rehabilitation, distribution of co-management

instruments, reforestation of forest and forestland areas (see

Fig. 4.53) and undertaking alternative livelihood projects.

E. Ecological sanitation-Urine Diversion

Dehydration Toilets (UDDT)

Social preparation efforts and construction of UDDT units

in various barangays are being done.

4



F. Organic farming project

This is about the use of vermicompost and other organic

farming methods and practices that are friendly to humans and

the environment.

G. Septage management project

De-clogging of all septic tanks once every four years is

required through an ordinance.

Figure 4.56 shows the comparison of the emission test

results during the conduct of random roadside emission tests for the three-year period. In 2009, only 12% passed the random emission test while in 2010 it increased to 20% but it dropped to 15% in 2011. These results were presented to the Airshed Governing Board for appropriate action. And part of the prescribed resolution was to conduct the roadside testing more often in order to appeal to the PUJ drivers/operators to really maintain their vehicles in order to achieve clean air. often in order to appeal to the PUJ drivers/operators to really

maintain their vehicles in order to achieve clean air.

One of the effective ways of creating awareness to the general

public is by hanging of streamers/tarpaulins in different

strategic areas. This is an effort equally shared by concerned

5



partners (see Fig. 4.56).

Recommendations The primary challenges that were discerned which have

hindered or are foreseen to become hindrances in the effort to

effectively operationalize the airshed governing board is the

lack of funds to sustain its operation and to support the plans

and programs of the respective airsheds. Likewise, the lack of

commitment and sense of responsibility of each member

threatens the sustainability of the program (airshed).

Provide additional funds to sustain the programs to improve

the capacity levels of members in air management, particularly

on policy formulation and enforcement and social mobilization.

Legislative and policy support, such as the mandatory creation

of ENROs for LGUs to support the programs of the airshed as

part of capacitating the LGUs which are the primary actors in

the air quality management in their respective localities, as

envisioned in the creation of the airsheds.

One of the issues raised on air quality management is the

rapid increase of smoke belchers in the Region. The very low

compliance on vehicular emissions greatly contributed to the

quality of air within the monitored areas. The data presented

on the results of emission test conducted is enough proof that

almost all the public and private utility vehicles vying within the

Metro Cebu area were incompliant to the standards of air

quality. The results were relatively poor since there were more

than 80 percent of the number of vehicles inspected that

failed the emission test.

Law enforcers must double their efforts with all honesty and

integrity. The drivers and operators must also do their part as

well in order to improve the quality of vehicular emissions,

especially that a long term solution is not tangible yet.

Moreover, issues raised concerning the Private Emission

Testing Centers (PETCs) are never lacking. Few of these are

the following:

i.) PETCs can be compensated in order to

just pass the emission test;

ii.) Clients will only pay and there will be no

emission test to be conducted at all;

iii.) the PETCs do not give so much attention

6



to the equipment’s maintenance and

care as long as the results and

payments are assured;

iv.) in monitoring the PETCs, the calibration

of the opacity meter and gas analyzer

are not checked periodically by the

composite team composed of DTI-7,

LTO-7, TESDA-7 and DENR-EMB7 due

to the unavailability of schedules;

v.) the composite team are not really

imposing strictly some penalties and/or apprehensions to

these PETCs.

Furthermore, this ever increasing number of motor vehicles is

particularly observed in the Province of Cebu. Results of

the emissions inventory pointed out the mobile sources as the

main contributors of the highest percentage of pollutants found

in ambient air. So far, the Land Transportation Office (LTO)

and the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board

(LTFRB) have no existing regulations to control the number of

registered motor vehicles. Strictly controlling the number of

vehicles could avoid traffic congestion, minimize the health

effects on the city dwellers and significantly reduce the level of

air pollutants in the atmosphere. Also, there is no proper

information on the regulation policy of DTI as to the vehicular

importation data.

7



After all, the problem on air pollution is everybody’s concern

since everyone is affected. Thus, each one must be

responsible enough in meeting the challenges at hand both

individually and together.

4.6 *RECOMMENDATIONS

The following are some of the specific recommended actions

in order to improve and maintain the air quality status of

Region VII:

i.) Continuously monitor the vehicular

emissions, stationary emission sources

and others;

ii.) Member LGUs of the Metro Cebu Airshed

Governing Board should be more

committed to implement the air quality

programs;

iii.) Empowerment of LGUs in anti-smoke

belching operations thru deputizing traffic

enforcers in order to catch or truly

apprehend all smoke-belchers;

iv.) Strictly monitor the performance of the

8



Private Emission Testing Centers

(PETCs) monthly or quarterly;

v.) The Composite Team (DENR, LTO, DTI

and TESDA) shall have their own text

hotline in order for the general public to

report directly the smoke belchers;

vi.) Strictly monitor the LGUs in the

implementation of their Ordinances or

Resolutions passed under the PCAA;

vii.) The Airshed Governing Board should

fully implement and formulate new

environmental policies, facilitate and

assist in the extensive campaign for

environmental education, and ensure

maximum participation in local

governance; environmental education, and ensure

maximum participation in local

governance;

viii.) EMB to oversee more closely the source

emissions monitoring program including

Continuous Emission Monitoring (CEMs),

stack testing, and frequent emissions

reporting and submission through

the Self-Monitoring Reports (SMRs);

9



ix.) Public information of the monitoring

results and the air quality status through

tri-media publication;

x.) Impose strictly the penalty and sanctions to the polluters or

violators.

xi.) Change of the type and mode of public transport and its

operational system.

xii.) Demand the use of clean alternative fuels.

10

Documents

Air Quality