The government’s plan to impound smoke-belching motor vehicles in Metro Manila will start next week, even as the National Anti-Environmental Crime Task Force (NAECTF) is yet to find a spacious impounding area.
Environment Undersecretary and NAECTF chief Arturo T. Valdez said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has turned down their request for a portion of Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, prompting them to settle for a 1-hectare lot in Kamatsili, Quezon City.
“Our request to use Tanay was denied. But we have a small impounding area in Barangay Kamatsili [Quezon City]. It is a private property. What is important is that [we] can start the campaign,” he said.
“Our target is to reduce air pollution to achieve the World Health standard by the end of the year,” Valdez said.
No-nonsense campaign
According to Valdez, they are still in search of an impounding area, promising that a no-nonsense campaign will result in the impounding of hundreds of motor vehicles that emit too much smoke that aggravates air pollution.
“We are working on it. By the latest next week, we will resume our campaign. From then on, [there] will be no let-up,” he said.
The original target was to utilize a 10-hectare portion in Camp Capinpin, where smoke-belching vehicles in Metro Manila will be towed for violating the Clean Air Act.
Valdez said the AFP denied their request because of lack of space inside the military camp for impounding motor vehicles.
“I was told there was no available space that big for impounding motor vehicles in Tanay,” he said.
During the kick-off ceremony highlighting the observance of the Clean Air Month celebration last week, the NAECTF conducted an operation to apprehend drivers and tow their smoke-belching vehicles at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources compound on Visayas Avenue, he said.
Despite the absence of a bigger space before launching the all-out war against smoke belchers, Valdez said the campaign will go slow targeting garages of private bus companies, service-utility vehicles that provide transport services and terminals of public-utility jeepneys.
“We don’t want to aggravate the traffic problem. We need to find a bigger impounding area first,” he said.
Valdez added the search for a bigger impounding area is ongoing, and the NAECTF is willing to lease private lots for the purpose.
“We are willing to pay for an impounding area. Even in Tanay, we are willing to pay, but we were told there’s no such space, so we have to look for other areas,” he said.
According to Valdez, they are looking for a bigger area, at least 5 hectares—half of the original target—which they can use for impounding.
Higher penalty
Valdez maintained they need a bigger area, if possible far from Metro Manila, to teach erring owners of private motor vehicles and public-utility vehicles, as they plan to increase the cost of towing and impounding.
He also said that before being released back to owners, the NAECTF will make sure that the vehicles are roadworthy, which means the owners would have to bring their mechanic on the spot to fix the vehicles.
DENR Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez, Valdez said, is determined to reduce air pollution, particularly in Metro Manila, and achieve the target of 90 micrograms per normal cubic meter (ug/Ncm), the international air-quality standard.
“That is our commitment. For now, we are still looking but we will resume operation in garages,” he said.
The average total suspended particulate readings in Metro Manila’s air-quality monitoring station show pollution level in Metro Manila in varying degrees, from 120 to 140 ug/Ncm.
According to the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau, 80 percent of air pollution comes from smoke emitted by motor vehicles.
Who’s to blame?
The Coalition of Clean Air Advocates of the Philippines has been barking at the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Land Transportation Office, blaming the corrupt practices as the reason for the poor air quality.
The group is advocating for no-nonsense motor-vehicle inspection as part of the process in renewing motor-vehicle registration.
The practice of nonappearance, or no-show in renewing motor-vehicle registration, the group said, allows owners to use their smoke-belching vehicles.
Last year, to help reduce air pollution from motor vehicles, the DENR and the Department of Energy issued a joint resolution prescribing the use of Euro 4 fuel.
Gasoline stations have complied with the joint order, imposing them to sell only Euro 4-standard fuels, but to no avail because of the sheer volume of motor vehicles plying Metro Manila roads, plus the monstrous traffic that aggravates air pollution.