POSITIVE LINES, By Joseph Abeleda

 

CLEAN AIR ACT: rotten tomatoes from LGUs

DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said: “One of the marching orders of President Aquino for the DENR is to clean the air not only in Metro Manila but in all other urban centers in the country. This is understandable because if we go by the report of the Department of Health that 60%-70% of medicines sold in the market are for bronchitis, asthma and other respiratory illnesses, we could say that air pollution is already taking its toll on our people.”

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.

To lessen air pollution from motor vehicles, the Land Transportation Office-Motor Vehicle Inspection Service requires smoke emission tests prior to renewal of registration. Local government units and partners from the private sector have been aggressive in initiating programs to fight air pollution caused by vehicles. 

Now here are the rotten tomatoes again. Some of the deputized LGUs are seeing opportunities to make business out of the situation.

They are using local tickets to exceed the standards for emission test. Looking closely to the said tickets, it has to be properly marked for being deputized for the purpose of Roadside Inspection of Motor Vehicle from DOTC and DENR.

The reason for this is not to give leeway for corruption, but still, the opportunists found a way to make a milking cow out of the non-complying motorists. The result, half of those smoke belching vehicles are not repaired and still out there giving away “poison” to our air.

Let us look into the brighter side: MVIS is initiating an anti-red tape policy, let’s give them a chance.

For the LGU officials who are making a fortune out of  air-pollution, remember that “if there’s smoke, there is fire.” It is not far from being caught, now that our people are aware of the results of air-pollution.