Cleaning up our act

Finally, Baguio is trying to “clear the air” by launching its local version of the Clean Air Act, going after smoke-belching vehicles and making them pay for emitting toxic fumes. This has been a long time coming since the quality of air in Baguio has been deteriorating over the years, coupled with the congested traffic especially in the city’s central business district. If I remember correctly, the local anti-pollution ordinance had been passed as early as July this year but for some reason, the enactment got very delayed. But as it is, there are already a lot of complaints because of a separate measure exempting privately-owned vehicles from the local color-coding scheme – which could greatly undermine the city’s Clean Air law.

Sometime last year, Baguio reported the highest pollutions level with 329.9 microgram per cubic meter of “suspended particulates,” twice the normal level of 150 micrograms. Studies have also revealed that in 20 years the demand for water in Baguio City will reach 200,000 cubic meters per day – more than twice the current demand of 90,000 cubic meters per day and certainly a far cry from the 30,000 cubic meters that the local water district can supply per day. With over 300,000 residents and an equal number of tourists flocking to the city during this peak holiday season, the city’s pollution, garbage and water problems could really get worse. 

Even hospitals are not exempt from the city’s garbage and pollution problems. As a matter of fact, one of their biggest concerns is how to dispose of infectious and toxic wastes. The city government has been having collection problems, and I am told that there are not enough treatment facilities for chemical and hazardous wastes. While hospitals have been trying to take care of disposing their treated wastes, still, the city will still need to find a long-term solution, like perhaps putting up a centralized treatment facility. The city government reportedly pays about P17 million a month to transport its wastes, but a more permanent treatment facility like an autoclave costs a little more than a million – and this could go a long way in helping solve the problem of hospital waste disposal.

Another big problem in Baguio is the traffic, which seems to get worse every year, and exempting private vehicles from the local coding scheme will do little to address the worsening congestion. The local LTO office should also go after these colorum jeepneys and taxis plying Baguio’s thoroughfares. According to sources, only half of the 8,000 taxis in the city are operating legally, and the same is true with the more than 8,000 jeepneys where only 50 percent have legal franchises. Another proposal to lessen the traffic congestion is to reexamine jeepney routes to make those going in the same direction take one route only.

Nevertheless, we really hope Mayor Rei Bautista (no relation to La Salle player Rey Bautista of Kamayan fame) will be able to push through with measures to save the country’s summer capital from total ruin due to poor zoning and the total disregard for the environment by unscrupulous individuals who keep on cutting down trees. Unfortunately, the scent of pines is now being slowly replaced by the scent of gasoline. The only place that still resembles Baguio in all its old glory is the US Ambassador’s Residence located inside Camp John Hay. With the Ayala Group coming in, we’re hoping the place will not become too commercialized and would still retain the charm for which Baguio was known for 20 to 30 years ago.

I remember the time when I stayed in the US Ambassador’s Baguio residence for four to five days for the Holy Week upon the invitation of former Ambassador Thomas Hubbard. I stayed in the Yamashita Room of the Ambassador’s Residence, expecting that I would not be able to sleep at all with all the stories about Yamashita’s ghost touring the place.

On the contrary, it was the pollution that kept me awake since the windows were open and the air from outside wafted inside the room. Not many people realize that the density of air becomes thinner when you’re at a higher elevation – meaning there’s less oxygen, so you can just imagine how difficult it could be to breathe with the thin air compounded by pollutants saturating the air. 

I was in Hong Kong for a couple of days, and no wonder most every Filipino who can afford it is now in Hong Kong. With the onset of the financial crisis, Hong Kong’s air quality has significantly improved since factories and other production facilities have reduced their activities, thus lessening the emission of gases and other noxious exhausts. 

Aside from Baguio, there are a lot of beautiful places in this country that have become world famous as tourist spots like Tagaytay and Boracay. But it’s sad to see these places slowly losing their appeal because of the traffic and the pollution, due in large part to poor zoning, poor planning and poor maintenance, and the abuses to the environment.

Boracay is a glaring example of what happens when people do not take care of the environment, and when developers become insensitive to the environmental impact of their projects. The place is overcrowded and the once-pristine waters have become full of coliform and other bacteria. The Supreme Court was correct to declare the island as part of public domain because this will go a long way in preventing resort operators and other private developers from indiscriminately building additional facilities.

Unless we clean up our act, we will lose not only billions in tourism revenues but worse, we could end up losing the very places that are considered treasures of this country.

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