DENR starts adding air quality monitoring stations

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has started to add air quality monitoring stations as part of the implementation of the Clean Air Act of 1999.

In a report on "24 Oras" on Tuesday, DENR-Environmental Management Bureau's Air Quality Management Section chief Engr. Jean Rosete explained the importance of having monitoring stations.



"Para malaman natin kung itong lugar na ito is healthy or unhealthy ang level ng air quality," Rosete said.

There are four air quality monitoring stations in Metro Manila: Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, De La Salle University-Manila in Taft Avenue, Manila; Department of Public Works and Highways office in EDSA-Timong Avenue, Quezon City, and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela in Valenzuela City.

The DENR also has a website where the public can monitor the air quality in areas were monitors were set up. The website shows an Air Quality Index, which ranges from Green, signifying "good", to dark red means "emergency" when "everyone should remain indoors, (keeping windows and doors closed, unless heat stress is possible)."

However, the website has not been updated since October 9, 2014 and suffers from technical issues. The site is supposed to show real-time monitoring, but the internet connection the agency is using for the system is intermittent.

Meanwhile, according to the Air Quality Management Section, there are indications that the air pollution in the country is not getting worse.

For example, data on total suspended particulates in Metro Manila shows a downward trend since 2004. But the measurement is still over the total suspended particulates indicated in the Clean Air Act, DENR said.

To this, Rosete stressed the importance for the public to get involved in taking care of the environment., "Cleaning the air is not only the responsibility of the government agencies, but lahat especially," she said. — Trisha Macas/DVM, GMA News