QUEZON CITY, Philippines (02 September 2022) \u2014 Ahead of the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, Greenpeace called on the Philippine government to shore up the country\u2019s monitoring systems for air quality, as its latest report reveals inadequacies in data on air pollution and its dangers to Filipinos.<\/p>\n\n
The report, Different Air under One Sky: Inequity Air Research,[1]<\/sup> shows that disparity in access to air quality data is putting vulnerable populations at greater risk from air pollution. In the Philippines, for example, only 45 percent of people live within 25 kilometers of an air quality monitoring station, most of which are located in Metro Manila. Access to data is also difficult, as only a few stations provide public access to data, which is not updated regularly.[2]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n Meanwhile, data shows that almost all Filipinos are breathing air that doesn\u2019t meet World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, with as much as 25% of the total population exposed to annual average PM2.5 concentrations that are at least five times over the WHO guidelines,<\/p>\n\n \u201cBased on the latest WHO air quality guidelines,[3]<\/sup> all Filipinos are breathing in unhealthy air,\u201d Yu said. \u201cAir pollution monitoring should work to protect the people from highly polluting industries and practices, but our studies have shown that monitoring stations are too few and insufficient to make an impact.\u201d <\/p>\n\n \u201cDespite the clear mandate for the government to protect and promote the people\u2019s right to clean air under the decades-old Clean Air Act, it has reneged on that mandate by allowing polluting corporations like coal plants to operate with impunity, unchecked,\u201d said Atty. Aaron Pedrosa, Sanlakas Secretary-General and Co-Chair of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) Energy Working Group. \u201cOur air standards are outmoded and have fallen far behind latest science. And despite the failure to regulate, the Government continues on an approving spree to more projects that would further deteriorate the dismal quality of our country\u2019s air.\u201d<\/p>\n\n Yu pointed out that this worsens the struggle of communities residing near or affected by fossil fuel plants, as access to accurate air quality data could help them mount complaints against destructive practices and inform urgent mitigation of these plants\u2019 health and environmental impacts. <\/p>\n\n \u201cOur health, my family\u2019s health are suffering from air pollution. Our ordeal fell on deaf ears because the company and government officials don\u2019t fully recognize us because we don\u2019t have sufficient data, but we still fight for our right to a clean and healthy environment,\u201d Andrew Dolino of Limpyong Hangin Para sa Tanan (LaHat) said in Filipino. Dolino lives in a community near a coal-fired power plant in Cebu. \u201cThe government must address this problem urgently, or they are endangering their citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n Greenpeace is demanding that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources expand its air quality monitoring capacity \u2014 not just by increasing the number of stations but by enabling these stations to monitor other dangerous pollutants.[4]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n \u201cCurrently, our country has very few air quality monitoring stations, and those that are located near fossil fuel-fired power plants don\u2019t monitor pollutants like methane and sulfur, which comes from fossil gas and pose risks to people\u2019s health,\u201d Yu said. \u201cHaving the full capacity to monitor air quality means being able to mount a strong case against the fossil fuel industry \u2014 particularly coal and fossil gas \u2014 and ultimately prevent them from dealing more damage to our environment and communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n In order to genuinely resolve the air pollution issue, Greenpeace is calling on the government to address its roots: phase out fossil fuel-based energy projects, and implement a just transition towards renewable energy. <\/p>\n\n \u201cImproving air quality is not only a matter of ensuring health and justice, but also of addressing the climate crisis and eliminating the common denominator \u2013 our country\u2019s dependence on dirty energy,\u201d Yu said.<\/p>\n\n ###<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Note to Editors:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n [1] Read the full report here: Different Air Under One Sky – The Inequity of Air Research<\/a><\/p>\n\n Relevant data:<\/p>\n\n *Particulate matter is pollution in the form of small solid or liquid particles suspended in the air. PM2.5 refers to any particles that measure 2.5 \u03bcm or less in diameter, much finer than a human hair. Breathing PM2.5 can harm our health. Exposure increases the risk of premature death, cardiovascular diseases, and respiratory diseases like asthma and bronchitis. It is also associated with increases in hospital admissions and absences from school or work.<\/p>\n\n [2] Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Data<\/a> from Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau. Data was last updated in June 2021.<\/p>\n\n [3] World Health Organization | Air Quality Guidelines<\/a><\/p>\n\n [4] Our concrete demands with regard to upgrading our air quality monitoring systems:<\/p>\n\n Media Contact:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Maverick Flores, Communications Campaigner<\/strong>
Greenpeace Philippines | maverick.flores@greenpeace.org<\/a> | +63 9176211552<\/p>\n\n