MANILA, Philippines -- Air quality in the country improved by 33 percent from 2003 to 2007, the Environment Management Bureau (EMB) told the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Clean Air Tuesday, but lawmakers were unconvinced about the report.

At the same time, Senator Pia Cayetano, who as chairperson of the Senate committee on the environment co-chairs the oversight committee, said that the P197-million air quality management fund collected from vehicle licensing fees and smoke-belching fines from 1999 specified in the Clean Air Act has not been released.

"Not a single centavo has been released since about 10 years ago," she said.

Cayetano said the amount should be released to enable EMB to buy better equipment and conduct tests that would result in truly better air quality.

"Air quality is directly related to health. The incidence of respiratory ailments in Metro Manila is very high because of air pollution," she said.

At the next oversight committee hearing, Cayetano will ask the Department of Budget and Management and the Department of Finance why the P197 million has not been released.

In its presentation, the EMB said its national monitoring of so-called “big dusts” showed concentrations of total suspended particulates have decreased from 144 to 97 micrograms per normal cubic meter (ug/Ncm).

In Metro Manila, the air quality has improved too, by 27 percent from 160ug/Ncm in 2003 to 120 ug/Ncm in 2007,” the EMB said.

"Per DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources] General Plan of Action, it is targeted that the Ambient Air Quality value of 90ug/Ncm is attained or complied with by 2010," the EMB report said.

But legislators found the results incredible.

Senator Pia Cayetano, who, as chair of the Senate committee on the environment is co-chair of the oversight committee, said she did not believe the EMB data because "I bike behind smoke-belching buses…we don't hear people in EDSA say mas maluwag ang pakiramdam ko ngayon [I feel better today]."

Cayetano’s co-chair, Representative Belma Cabilao, said she suffers allergies she does not experience back home in Zamboanga.

Senator Gregorio Honasan noted that the quality of air is important because it will affect future generations.

"We passed the Clean Air Act in the 10th Congress because of our concern for our children…We may be raising children who may be retarded because of the quality of air. Few may become congressmen, senators, and presidents," Honasan said.