MEMBERS of the Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM) welcomed the passing of an ordinance in Tuba town, Benguet which seeks to regulate the manufacture, sale, use or discharge of firecrackers and pyrotechnic and similar materials within its territorial jurisdiction.
In the weekly "Talakayan sa Environmental Code", BRM chairman Erdolfo Balajadia said the move of the municipality of Tuba is a welcome development since it shows its support to the city's action which also strictly regulates the use, sale and manufacturing of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials.
The ordinance was passed in May this year.
Meanwhile, City Environment, Parks and Management Officer (Cepmo) Cordelia Lacsamana reiterated the need for a reactivation of a monitoring group to keep an eye on the air quality during the Christmas holidays.
"What I would like to point out is the need of some pioneering monitoring like the mobile monitoring unit we used to have when the ban was instituted in the city. During that time, the mobile monitoring unit recorded a spike the quality of air during the 24th of December and the 1st of January due to the use of firecrackers," Lacsamana said.
In the monitoring conducted during the said dates this year, the city recorded a better quality of air due to the lesser use of firecrackers brought about by the city's passing of the ordinance.
"Everybody should understand what the trade offs are, do we want to have a noisy and happy Christmas, or do we want tour have a happy by cleaner air which would have positive impacts to our health," the Cepmo chief asked.