(Originally published in the Dec. 2 to 8, 2012 issue of the Baguio Chronicle ---
a weekly newspaper based in Baguio City, Philippines ---
by Sly L. Quintos, Associate Editor.)
THOUSANDS of clean air advocates are set to gathered last November 25 at the Ayala Triangle in Makati City to call for cleaner air and better health.
Dubbed as “Clean Air? Pwede!!!”, the move sought for at least one Car-Free Day in Metro Manila’s roads every November as National Clean Air Month to reduce air pollution.
The activities started from the Ayala Triangle and followed by a “Clean Air Parade” to Ortigas Center led by the Tour of the Fireflies and runners from Youth Vote Philippines, electric bus and jeepneys, hybrid bus, and an Ecological Fashion Show by the Miriam College.
The event was initiated by the Partnership for Clean Air, a multi-sectoral body that includes the DENR, through its Environmental Management Bureau, the Metro Manila Development Authority or MMDA, the local governments of Makati and Pasig, Department of Transportation and Communications, Philippine Information Agency, Laguna Lake Development Authority, civil society organizations (such as Miriam P.E.A.C.E., Earth Day Jam Foundation, Electric Vehicle Association of the Philippines, The Firefly Brigade, Clean Air Initiative-Asia, Youth Vote, Ateneo School of Government, Earth Day Network).
The groups are also pursuing advocacy campaign for the provision of an efficient and ecologically-friendly public transport system and increase awareness on the need to build ‘walkable’ pedestrian-friendly streets and infrastructures.
The Car-Free Day urged businesses to provide safe and secured walkways (such as Ayala and Ortigas walkways), urge the government to provide safe and accessible spaces such as bicycle lanes and pavements for pedestrian, as well as promote the improvement of mass transit. The campaign also seeks to educate the policies about the health benefits of walking, cycling and other non-motorized transport rides.
A Clean Air Concert led by Clean Air champion Lou Bonnevie was held in the afternoon which also featured True Faith, Mayonnaise, Absolute Play, The Drum Circle, and others.
On November 18, 2008, Proclamation No. 1776 designated the National Climate Change Consciousness Week to be held every November to create awareness on the ill effects of global warming and climate change “by pursuing broad and intensive public information and educational campaign to secure the collective cooperation of private and public sectors at all levels in finding solutions to this concern”.
The Proclamation also calls on “all agencies, government offices, and instrumentalities to collaborate in coordination with the private sector, and in liaison with the United Nations family, to conduct and participate in relevant activities”.
One of the activities of the National Climate Change Consciousness Week which drew big participation was the 32-kilometer bike tour on November 18 spearheaded by the Firefly Brigade.
There was also the International Conference on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation for Food and Environmental Security held in Los Baños, Laguna “to bring together researchers, academicians, policy makers and planners, development workers, NGOs and other professionals in a discussion forum for the exchange and updating of information, integrate and forge linkages towards enhanced regional capacity to achieve food, environmental, nutritional and health security in the face of climate change”.
Simultaneous was the “Ikaw, Ako, Tayo: Kabataang Handa sa Klimang Nagbabago” interactive exhibit and workshop at the Museo Pambata in Ermita, Manila “to educate students on the causes and effects of climate change, enable the students to identify ways of reducing their carbon footprint, raise the consciousness of the students on the urgency of addressing climate change and inspire the students to become advocates of simple climate change mitigation and adaptation measures”.
There was also the “Greeneration: Young Artists for Climate Change Awareness” workshops at the Asian Institute of Management and PETA Theater Center. The simultaneous specialized workshops focused on using the arts to raise climate change awareness and launch the program “Mobilizing Young People Towards Climate Change Awareness” which will be implemented throughout the year to popularize climate change issues through theater, creative writing and music; introduce 180 youth artists and leaders to the potential of their art for climate change awareness and education; launch the Pocket Performance (PoPer) developed by Climate Change Commission and PETA to be toured throughout the year that will inform students and the public about climate change in a hip and cool way; create a short music and theater improvisation on climate change; and publish 120 articles on climate change in campus journals and online blogs.
Taking cognizance of the role of the media “as a powerful instrument for spreading information dissemination, creating awareness and in shaping opinion”, the Creating Awareness on Climate Change Media Forum was held on November 21 at the Malacañang Briefing Room.
Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources or DENR says that motor vehicles remain the country’s major source of air pollution in the urban areas and that “there is a need to consider the use of non-motorized transport”.
Early this year, Police Superintendent Allan Logan, the Chief of the Traffic Management Board of the Baguio city Police lamented the irreversible increase of motor vehicles clogging practically all the streets of the city.
Speaking during the Public Transport Leaders’ Consultative Forum in January, Logan said that the number of registered motor vehicles in Baguio has swelled to 38,000 compared to 36,000 some ten years ago. Of the 38,000 carbon-emitting vehicles, he said, 27,800 are privately-owned while 11,000 are public utility vehicles of which 6,000 are jeeps and the rest are taxis.
Added to the motor vehicles fighting their way through every square inch of the road is close to half million daytime population compared to the about 300,000 some ten years ago, all within the same space (49 square kilometers), he said.*
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