The Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) on Thursday turned over a real-time air quality monitoring system (AQMS) in Manila City, as the two government institutions joined hands in establishing a continuous AQMS for monitoring and management of air quality.

DENR-EMB National Capital Region director, lawyer Domingo M. Clemente, Jr., in a signing of a memorandum of agreement on Thursday, said air pollution is considered as a leading worldwide “environmental risk”.

Because of this, he said, it is very important for people to understand the cause and solution to air pollution.

“We have the Teledyne T640 PM analyzer, the first-ever in the Philippines. Ito po ang makina na sumusukat sa kalidad ng hangin (This measures air quality). There is a need to understand and improve our air quality,” Clemente said.

Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso welcomed the pact, saying this is aligned with his goal for the city of Manila to expand and create more green spaces.

Domagoso said upon hearing that the DENR is eyeing Manila for their AQMS, he said: “Walang kibit-balikat ang sabi ko, ilagay n’yo po sa Maynila. Para sa ganun nassuukat natin ang (I said put that up in Manila so we can measure) the effort of the city to make more open green spaces and cleaner air through this first-ever-in-the-country machine donated by DENR”.

Manila Department of Public Services (DPS) director Kenneth Amurao said they will cooperate with different government agencies as well as to the private sectors to be able to achieve cleaner air and a greener environment in the nation’s capital.

Domagoso added that they will use the AQMS to have an updated air quality monitoring data for public information, identification of critical areas, and research studies, among others. (PNA)