Pollution levels down in Makati, says gov’t

The air quality in Makati has shown marked improvement during the first half of the year, according to the city government.

Ricardo Suarez, officer in charge of the Makati Pollution Control Office (MPCO), said that the air quality monitoring status report of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for January to June this year showed a 22 percent reduction in the level of air pollution in the city.

“From 174 micrograms per cubic meter of suspended particulates in the same period last year, it [went down] to 136 micrograms per cubic meter this year,” Suarez said in a statement.

The city government said the improved air quality in Makati could be attributed to the authorities’ intensified campaign against smoke belchers.

A total of 2,895 smoke-belching vehicles in different roads in Makati were apprehended during the first six months

of the year.

Based on comparative data from the MPCO, the number of apprehended vehicles decreased by 9.13 percent from 3,186 during the same period in 2010.

Suarez said his office had been pursuing the intensive enforcement of City Ordinance No. 2004-032, also known as the Emission Control Code of Makati, in line with the city’s advocacy for smoke-free air.

“We will not spare any vehicle, even government vehicles, when we catch them emitting dark-colored, foul-smelling smoke in our streets. We want to maintain clean air in the city so that our residents, city workers, visitors and passersby can breathe freely here in Makati,” Suarez said.

The MPCO report showed that utility vehicles topped the list of violators with 1,360 apprehended; followed by trucks with 1,095; cars with 219; public utility jeepneys with 165 and public utility buses with 56.