Clean Air Act 1999

T he Philippines takes pride in being one of many countries around the world that is an
active party to international commitments for the environment -- be it for biodiversity,
coastal and marine resources, or to combat the effects of global warming and climate
change.
To step up its efforts in the enforcement of environmental laws, the Supreme Court has
even designated 117 environmental courts, and lately, has promulgated the rules for the
Writ of Kalikasan, the first of its kind in the world.
The country has several environmental laws in existence, consistent with the Constitutional
principle of providing every Filipino the right to a balanced and healthful ecology. These
include laws on forestry, land management, mining, solid waste management, clean water,
and clean air.
Republic Act 8749, or the Clean Air Act of 1999, goes beyond making the polluter pay. It
focuses primarily on pollution prevention rather than on control by encouraging cooperation
and self-regulation among citizens and industries. It also enforces a system of
accountability for adverse environmental impacts to heighten compliance to government
environmental regulations.
Now on its 11th year of implementation, the Philippines can truly show indicative
accomplishments in its effort to improve air quality not only in Metro Manila, but also in
other premier cities nationwide. Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Director Juan
Miguel Cuna credits these accomplishments to a successful partnership among
implementers and stakeholders. The collaboration of government agencies, the transport
and industry sectors, and civil society has largely contributed to the improvement of the
countrys air quality, Cuna stressed.
The Clean Air Act is primarily implemented by the Departments of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR), Transportation and Communication (DOTC), Trade and Industry (DTI),
Energy (DOE), and local government units.
The countrys geographical location and its being an archipelago keeps the countrys air
generally clean as ocean winds keep pollution at bay, but not in highly-urbanized areas
where air pollution is largely caused by vehicular and industry emissions.
Curbing air pollution
What, then, has the country done so far to improve air quality?
To curb air pollution from motor vehicles, the Clean Air Act requires smoke emission tests
prior to renewal of registration. The DOTCs Land Transportation Office (LTO) has already
operationalized its motor vehicle inspection centers to large transport groups, while the
private emission testing centers (PETCs) were established in various parts of the country to
provide testing services to public transport vehicles, including private-owned vehicles.

Likewise, LGUs and partners from the private sector have

been aggressive in initiating programs to combat air pollution caused by vehicular
emissions. No less than five city governments in MM are involved in anti-smoke belching
operations to make the 34-kilometer stretch of EDSA smoke-free! Even President Aquino
himself has acted as an anti-smoke belching agent, demonstrating an initiative to report a
smoke-belching bus to the LTO via text messaging.

Some cities have also promoted the use of alternative modes of

transport, such as the bicycle for Marikina City and electricity-powered jeepneys for Makati
City . Motorcycle manufacturers have also voluntarily phased out two-stroke engines since
2006 to give way to less-polluting model, the 4-stroke engines.
The DOE, on the other hand, has strengthened its drive to use cleaner fuel, reducing
considerably the potentially harmful content in fuel, such as benzene in unleaded gasoline
and sulfur in industrial diesel oil. It has also promoted the use of alternative, cleaner fuels
such as biodiesel blends especially in government vehicles and public transportation.
As for industrial pollution, the Clean Air Act requires businesses to undergo compliance
testing prior to operation of establishments. Many companies have also resorted to the use
of alternative sources of energy that result in less emission.
The DOH reports that the use of cleaner fuels has resulted in a significant decrease in the
number of children with elevated levels of lead in their blood, which can lead to disabilities
and even death.

As yet another proof of cleaner air, Cuna announced

that the EMB has monitored a nationwide 30% decrease in total suspended particulates
( TSP ) for a five-year period, from 2004 (145 micrograms/Normal cubic meter) to 2008 (102
ug/Ncm).

This means there are less droplets from smoke and dust suspended in the air, but we will
still be taking additional measures to further bring it down to healthier levels, he said,
referring to the acceptable standard value of 90 g/Ncm.
These gains have not gone unnoticed in the global perspective. Perhaps the most
significant indication of the success of the Philippines policy implementation is the
Environmental Performance Index (EPI), which gauges how close countries are to establish
environmental policy goals.
With an EPI score of 65.7 for the year 2010, the Philippines ranks 3rd in the ASE AN+3
economic region next only to the much more progressive countries, Japan and Singapore,
and ties Australia at 8 th in the whole Asia-Pacific area.

Still, the DENR continues to engage in collaborations to further strengthen

the implementation of the Clean Air Act. Its link with the Partnership for Clean Air and Clean
Air Initiative-Asia Center has led to the Ligtas Hangin campaign in 2009, and the forging
of the Clean Air 10 Declaration by 300 stakeholders, which empowered LGUs to clean the
air and address climate change through partnerships.
Indeed, the past decade saw the numerous efforts of both the government and the private
sector, including the civil society, to address the worsening air pollution in Metro Manila and
other urban centers in the country. At the start of the effort, the problem seemed
insurmountable as the level of pollution then was far way above the healthful guidelines of
the World Health Organization, DENR Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje said.
But since then, Paje said, the public-private sector partnerships took a full swing resulting in
decline of the level of total suspended particulates (TSP) in Metro Manilas sky at 134
ug/ncm last year. Despite this, however, Paje said there is still a need to bring down further
the pollution level, setting the reduction target of at least 30% by the end of 2011.