The Quezon City government is giving itself at least five years to put in place a system that will provide QC residents with a quality of life anchored on cleaner and healthier initiatives.
“It is not just cleaning the air. What we need is to put a time table in all our efforts in the pursuit of making Quezon City a green and environmentally-sound community,” the Mayor said during a speech at the launching of the QC clean air initiatives at the Sky Dome of SM North Edsa.
In line with this, the Mayor has called on members of the city council to work for the passage of legislations that will pave the way for a collective action in the tasks of reducing pollution and the adverse effects of climate change.
The Mayor wants priority to be given to the transport sector, which has been considered as the major contributor for Metro Manila’s worsening air quality. “We are also looking after the safety of our people in the transport sector,” the Mayor said.
Present during the launching of QC’s clean air initiatives was Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino, who described the city’s program as a pioneering effort from a local government unit.
“Pwede na natin ikumpara ngayon si Mayor Bautista kay Mayor Michael Bloomberg ng New York City na nangunguna sa pagsusulong ng mga green building initiatives at eco-friendly initiatives,” Tolentino said.
Themed as “Strengthening Air Quality Management in Quezon City thru partnerships, capacity building, legislative measures and enforcement strategy,” the launch of the city’s clean air initiative was in support of the Clean Air Act of 1999.
During the occasion, Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department head Frederika Rentoy outlined the city’s 12-point clean air agenda anchored on air quality management, institutional partnership, closer coordination and cooperation with other national government agencies, the academe, transport sector, non-government organizations and Filipino innovators.
Rentoy said that the programs under the 12 point agenda include the review and amendment of City Ordinance no. S-1906, S-2008 or the anti-smoke belching ordinance; conducting a massive information campaign geared towards public education on health effects, policy standards, enforcement and government verified measures related to clean air; and conducting a competency and capacity building program for the transport sector.
Once all mechanisms are fully operational, the City can claim that it is the first local government unit (LGU) in the country that has comprehensibly institutionalized mechanisms for cooperation among different sectors towards air quality management.
QC Councilors Dorothy Delarmente and Anthony Peter Crisologo and representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Land Transportation Office (LTO) and Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) were also present during the occasion. Maureen Quiñones, PAISO
