Monday, April 30, 2007 Session road closure won't solve pollution: official By Rimaliza Opiña
EVEN environment experts agree that the closure of Session Road is not the best deterrent to air pollution.
Environment Regional Executive Director Samuel Peñafiel said the best approach to reduce air pollution is regular engine maintenance, strict implementation by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) of vehicle emission test, and regulation of vehicle franchise approval.
"Closure is just transferring the pollution," Peñafiel said, adding that both gasoline and diesel-fed engines pollute the air. Gasoline emits nitrates, benzine and PM10 while diesel emits suspended particulates.
Environment Management Bureau (EMB) Regional Director Paquito Moreno added that while motor vehicles are known as the most common contributors to air pollution in Baguio, stationary sources like the Irisan dumpsite also contributes to pollution.
EMB Pollution Control Division head Rolando Reyes also said there are other alternatives to abating air pollution like revising the traffic scheme and to intensify the use of bio-diesel among motor vehicle owners.
The EMB is targeting that by 2008, at least 80 percent of public utility vehicles are already using fuel that has bio-diesel and the air quality at the central business district (CBD) already at the standard level.
At the Baguio City Council, resolutions have been passed which promote the use of bio-fuel in both government and private-owned motor vehicles.
Meanwhile, acting Baguio Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. said an alternative parking area should be addressed first before the proposed whole day parking ban at Session Road is imposed.
While a parking ban is imposed along major thoroughfares during rush hours, Bautista said in the event a whole day parking ban is imposed, a multi-level parking building has to be in place already.
This way, he said, staging areas of public utility vehicles would also have to be transferred at Gov. Pack Road, which is utilized as a bus terminal.
The Baguio police's Traffic Management Branch (TMB) earlier recommended a whole day parking ban in major thoroughfares after noting that the 6-9 a.m. and 3-6 p.m. parking ban greatly contributed to the smooth flow of traffic.
