The Philippines ranked 57th among nations with the worst air pollution in the latest IQAir’s World Air Quality Report released this week.
The report’s data was based on the results of the measurement of particulate matter (PM 2.5), or small dust particles in the air that mainly come from car smokes, factories, and burned materials.
The Philippines has a 17.6 PM 2.5 concentration measurement which is included in the moderate air quality index. This means the air quality is harmful to the respiratory system of sensitive individuals.
According to global environmental organization Greenpeace, the air quality in the Philippines is beyond the safety standard of the World Health Organization (WHO) which is a PM 2.5 measurement of 10 and is considered harmful to a person’s health.
“Filipinos are still exposed to dirty air in Metro Manila and in other areas… Ang primary na impact niyan, respiratory diseases,” Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines campaigner Khevin Yu said.
“Sa study naming, sinasabing almost 27 thousand Filipinos ang namamatay prematurely because of air pollution,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) admitted the problem in air quality in the country, but are not convinced with the study of IQAir Visual.
Based on the Clean Air Act, they only consider US EPA-accredited instruments to measure air pollution.
The DENR also plans to file legal action against IQAir Visual and promised to improve greening programs to alleviate pollution in the country.
“We might be feeding wrong information to the people and it will create chaos, would you imagine sasabihin sa’yo, highly polluted itong area, baka hindi huminga ang tao,” DENR USec. Benny Antiporda said. – Report from Cleizl Pardilla
