Motorcades of May 14 bets scored over pollution, traffic

As the midterm elections draw near, candidates and party-list groups are embarking on festive and massive motorcades to drum up support among the voting public.

However, a citizens’ group has expressed concern over the pollution caused by vehicles in campaign motorcades.

The Ecological Waste Coalition (EcoWaste) said the indiscriminate use of vehicles in campaign motorcades aggravates air pollution in the metropolis and results in traffic congestion, which contributes to more toxic emissions in the atmosphere.

The group also said campaign motorcades add to noise pollution with blaring political jingles, the blowing of horns, friction of the wheels over the road surface and the operation of engines.

"We appeal to all groups to reconsider their plans to stage massive motorcades, as this will only make the air quality, street noise and traffic jams in our cities even worse," said Elsie Brandes de Veyra, a member of EcoWaste’s Steering Committee.

De Veyra said fewer cars on the streets will mean less air and noise pollution and less traffic and gridlocks in the already choked thoroughfares in the metropolis.

"Air pollution, traffic congestion and noise pollution are three major reasons why campaign motorcades should be minimized and even regulated by the authorities," De Veyra said.

"We hope our politicians and party-list groups will pass up polluting motorcades and choose campaign activities that will have less harmful impacts on our health and environment," De Veyra added. "The indiscriminate use of fossil fuels in such a pointless exercise is highly irresponsible amidst the global clamor on climate change."

The environment group’s call was made in the light of a party-list group’s campaign motorcade along Epifanio de los Santos (EDSA) that resulted in a huge traffic jam Tuesday.

EcoWaste stressed that 78 percent of the air pollution in the metropolis is caused by vehicle exhaust that contains carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, particulate matter and other harmful substances.

Citing statistics from a World Bank study, the group also disclosed that 4,000 Filipinos die each year due to air pollution, while over P21.5 billion is spent annually to deal with the health impacts of air pollution.