Cartoon By: Aaron Paul C. Caril
EDITORIAL
Choking on neglect: The urgent need
for modern air quality reforms in the Philippines
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) health and environment scorecard paints a grim picture: the country records an annual mean fine particulate matter level of 24 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³) in 2024, a staggering five times the WHO air quality guideline value. Shockingly, thirty-two percent (32%) of deaths from stroke and ischaemic heart disease are caused by air pollution.
Earth.org has reported that air pollution in the Philippines stems from burning fossil fuels like coal and oil, highlighting the country’s dependence on coal. The WHO reveals that 53% of the population lacks clean fuels and cooking technology, which is identified as one factor that exacerbates air quality in the long run.
Vehicular emissions, particularly in areas like Metro Manila, have been identified as one major factor in the worsening air quality. In 2022, other recorded surges in air pollution outside Metro Manila include the San Fernando City Station in Pampanga, Antipolo City Station, Biñan City Station, Puerto Princesa City Station, and the Davao City Station.
Blame it on our festive culture during Christmas and New Year, as well as the inability of most local government units to impose tight controls on the prevalent use of firecrackers; we are exposed to a mixture of carbon, sulfur, and other fine particles that pose a danger to public health.
Greenpeace Philippines has urgently called on the government to amend its outdated Clean Air Act of 1999. Under the Clean Air Act, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources—Environmental Management Bureau is required to review standards for stationary sources every two years and revise them for further improvement. However, the National Emission Standards for Source-Specific Air Pollutants have not been updated since they were set in 1999. This is a crucial and immediate need.
Monitoring and enforcement of the law has been problematic in the country. In early 2024, Greenpeace noted that the Philippines only had a fleet of 55 government-owned PM2.5 monitoring stations. Twenty-two are stationed in Metro Manila, while some are not strategically located in areas with high PM2.5 concentrations, such as major highways and coal plants. Bataan, which houses major megawatt-coal plants, has a lone PM2.5 monitor for the whole province.
Greenpeace stressed that improving country-wide air quality monitoring will enable local governments to take measures to mitigate the impacts of air pollution originating from coal plants and heavily polluting facilities. However, most LGUs are also grappling with many problems, with some putting air quality management as a non-priority.
The United Nations General Assembly has passed a historic resolution declaring that everyone on the planet has a right to a healthy environment, including clean air, water, and a stable climate.
Despite the UN declaration, we continue to face increasing risks of air pollution. Unlike typhoons and earthquakes, whose impact is massive and immediate, the impact of air pollution may not be as immediate as other calamities, but it is enormous and irreversible. The government should act on this urgent issue as soon as possible. Otherwise, we will slowly choke on neglect.