DTI, DOTC, DENR face P1-B suit for failing to curb pollution

MANILA, Philippines - Three government agencies will face a P1-billion class suit  for allegedly failing to deal with the problem of air pollution.

Speaking at a forum in the Manila Hotel yesterday, Virgilio Lazaga, a member of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), said they will file the case against the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) within the year.

“We may charge them with dereliction of duty (for failing to implement the environmental laws),” he said.

Lazaga said the class suit was supposed to be filed in 2010, but that after several meetings with the agencies, the PMA decided to give these offices more time to effect change.

However, three years after, environmental problems still persist, especially on issues of air pollution, he added.

Lazaga said corruption among officials of private and government offices has prevented the effective implementation of the laws.

The three agencies have been lax in their duties, he added.

Lazaga said some accredited emission testing centers exceed the number of allowable tests in a day.

Vehicle owners able to register their cars without appearing at the tests have remained a problem, he added.

At the DENR, engineer Teresita Peralta said they have been acting on these problems.

They have been conducting  covert operations to put a stop to the anomalies, she added.

Operations of a number of testing centers have either been canceled or suspended, Peralta said.