Air Quality in the City
May 2, 2015
BAGUIO CITY- Despite several public objections to the Roadside Inspection Testing and Monitoring Team (RITMT) doing random checks on smoke-belching vehicles, the procedure goes on, Mayor Mauricio Domogan said during last week’s Ugnayan at city hall.
For accessibility and convenience of vehicle owners, an impounding and testing center within the central business district instead of South Sanitary Camp is being planned, he revealed.
The mayor also noted that after smoke-belching ordinance was passed and implemented, improvement in passing rates were recorded. Vehicles tested for smoke-belching in 2010, then rates 32 to 33% passing, while as to 2014 records in the City Environment Parks Management Office (CEPMO), an average of 67% of diesel and gasoline-fed vehicles passed the smoke-belching test. More vehicle owners are also opting to have their cars voluntarily tested.
Higher passing rate in smoke-belching tests mean cleaner air, and definitely is a welcome development to those with respiratory ailments, Domogan said.
Mobile testing machines are used in roadsides, along Magsaysay avenue, UP drive, Bokawkan road, Session road, Harrison road, Marcos Highway, Bonifacio road and other venues.
The mayor mentioned that in a recent trip to Taiwan, he, with mayors from Katmandu and Vietnam, well-appreciated the clean air environment. Even with public and private transportation, the quality of air is definitely better, which could be a source of envy, the mayor said. The clean air in that country is credited to high quality fuel, he added.
The quality of fuel used in our country, definitely low, could be better but would be with corresponding rise in prices, the mayor further said. Poorly-maintained second hand motor vehicles add to our smoke-belching woes, Domogan also said.
Actions done could be for the house of representatives to pass laws to ban the “dumping” of second hand vehicles in the country and to phrase out “running coffins” from our streets, the mayor further said. Vehicles that could not pass the smoke-belching tests should be out from the roads, Domogan ended./Julie G. Fianza
