Air Ambience Reports, ASK
VOL. XVIII NO. 4 (Nov 1-7, 2014)
BAGUIO CITY – Consistent readings on vehicles’ increased passing rates during the Roadside Inspection Testing and Monitoring (RITM) of the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) means cleaner air for the city, as reported during the latest Alay sa Kalinisan (ASK) meeting.
RITMT head Engr. Moises Lozano said last week’s four random operations yielded a 72% and 70.67% passing rate for diesel and gas-operated vehicles, respectively.
Operations for diesel-fed vehicles were done at Magsaysay avenue, Upper Session road, and Botanical area, where 129 vehicles were tested, 93 or 72% passed, and 36 or 27.91% failed. For the 75 gas/LPG-fed vehicles, flagged and checked at Magsaysay Avenue; 53 or 70.67 passed and 22 or 29.33% failed.
The amount of penalties from smoke-belching public and private vehicles to be collected is P83,600.00, it was stated in the report. No government vehicles were apprehended this time.
Earlier, it was noted that more vehicles being flagged and checked for smoke-belching, pass the roadside inspection.
For the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Report, Lozano said the monitored air quality index at Kabayanihan barangay is 55-154 which translates to “Fair.” Testing done at Naguilian road corner Dominican Hill, from Sept. 29 up to Oct. 10, 2014; yielded the same score.
According to Lozano, rainshowers, fair weather and winds within the area being checked, may have an effect to the air ambience result.
As to the air quality index value range; 0-54 is “Good,” 55-154 is “Fair,” both with no bad effects to human health; 155 to 254 is already “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups,” where people with respiratory diseases should limit outdoor exertion; scores 255 to 354 is “Very Unhealthy,” where people should avoid heavy traffic areas, and stay indoors as much as possible; scores 355 to 424 is “Acutely Unhealthy,” where unhealthy people should stay indoors, and use of motor vehicle may be restricted; it was stated in Lozano’s report.
Rates 425-504 is “Emergency,” where everyone should stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed, motor vehicle use is for emergency situations only and industrial activities should be curtailed, the report further states.
Air ambient measurement last September at Burnham Park was “Fair,” while at Camp John Hay and Scout Barrio is “Good.” According to Lozano, the air ambient measuring apparatus is effective for a two-kilometer radius./Julie G. Fianza
