DENR leads celebration of Ozone Day

The United Nations General Assembly resolution No. 49/114 declared Sept. 16 as International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer. The theme for this year’s celebration is "Save Our Sky: Ozone-Friendly Planet, Our Target."

This celebration is in commemoration of the signing in 1987 of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, an agreement among 129 countries that limits the production, application and use of the most commonly used Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and provide for their phase-out.

The Philippines became a signatory to the Montreal Protocol on Sept. 14, 1988. Since then, it has exerted deliberate efforts to phase out the production and consumption of ODS like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons. Among these efforts is the banning of new applications of halons 1211 and 1301 (fire extinguishers) and establishment of a Halon Bank through the Exalta Trading Corp. that operates a halon recovery and recycling facility. It has been active in celebrating this International Day since 1995.

The Philippine Ozone Desk of the Environment Management Bureau (POD-EMB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has lined up several activities to celebrate this year’s Ozone Day. One of these is a short story writing contest for private elementary school teachers of Metro Manila. The contest aims to enhance their awareness on ozone depletion issues and produce a collection of ozone stories that may used as teaching materials for grade school students.

The requirements of the contest are as follows: Story should contain relevant information about the ozone layer, its importance and the need to protect it. It may be written in English or Pilipino. It should be original, unpublished and intended for children aged 6 to 12 years old.

First, second and third prize winners will win P20,000, P15,000 and P10,000 respectively plus a plaque each, per category.

Deadline for submission of entries is Sept. 2. For more information, visit or call the Philippine Ozone Desk, EMB-DENR, 2nd Floor HRD Building, DENR Compound, Visayas Ave., Diliman, Quezon City, tel. 925-2344; 928-1244; 426-4338.