Cities undergo training on managing air quality
By Nadine S. Ragonjan

Eighteen cities crafted their strategies and action plans in a bid to address effectively the air pollution in their respective areas.

This was the highlight of the first leg of the Air Quality Management Training co-sponsored by the League of Cities of the Philippines, the Partnership for Clean Air (PCA), and the Local Government Finance and Development Project (LOGOFIND) of the Department of Finance on March 12-14, 2008 at the Miramar Hotel in Manila.

The cities of Angeles, Antipolo, Batangas, Calamba, Lucena, Malabon, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Olongapo, Quezon, San Fernando (Pampanga), San Juan, Sta. Rosa, Tagaytay, and Valenzuela sent their technical staff and councilors who chair their environment committees to further strengthen their capacities in formulating and implementing air quality management plans and programs.

For instance, Navotas City saw the need to create a multipartite working team composed of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, Business Permits and Licensing Office and City Health Office to formulate policies and regulations with regards to the issuance of business permits and other city clearances of industrial firms and other establishments in their area.

Meanwhile, San Fernando City in Pampanga will determine the average number of vehicles plying within their city to generate a baseline data of vehicles (i.e. tricycles, jeepneys, buses) that can be basis for formulating a policy on controlling emissions from mobile sources.

Antipolo City will raise public awareness through information and education campaigns. Another city strategy is to identify denuded areas in their forest land for tree planting activities.

The participants were guided by resource speakers from the DENR Environmental Management Bureau, UP National Center for Transportation Studies, UP Chemical Engineering Department, Metro Manila Development Authority, Department of Energy, and Chemrez Technologies. The cities of Pasig and Makati shared their experiences, strategies and best practices on air quality management.

The training program is two-pronged: first, a basic AQM Training for 77 cities; followed by an in-depth training on priority air quality management strategies, interventions, or programs for eight cities.

Of the 120 cities nationwide, 77 cities were identified for the first training based on the following criteria: (a) city classification, (b) air quality status, and (c) inclusion in an airshed governing board. The trainings will be conducted in four batches. Subsequent trainings for the other three batches will be scheduled within the 2 nd quarter of 2008.