No budget for clean air drive

Is the clean air drive in Metro Manila going up in smoke?

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has complained that its anti-smoke belching campaign has been receiving little support from most of local government units.

While the MMDA has already provided all of the LGUs with equipment necessary for emission testing, implementation has been hampered by lack of budget.

Late last year, the MMDA acquired 25 opacimeters, or emission-testing machines for diesel engines using a loan from the Asian Development Bank.

Each of the 17 LGUs in Metro Manila were given one opacimeter for testing diesel engines in their respective areas in support of the MMDA drive.

Right now, the Anti-Smoke Belching Task Force (ASBTF) covers the entire stretch of EDSA, but most other roads remain unchecked.

Makati City and Muntinlupa City, which had their own testing equipment even before MMDA’s purchase, are the only two cities in Metro Manila that operate on a regular basis.

The MMDA has asked the Senate to increase its budget by P125 million next year in order to finance anti-smoke belching operations.

MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando said the additional budget would be allocated to the LGUs for their respective operations.

Based on MMDA estimates, each LGU would need around P5 million a year to support emission-testing operations. The amount covers salaries of team members as well as the maintenance of testing machines.

In a previous report, MMDA-ASBTF chief Ramon Santiago noted that the number of vehicles apprehended for smoke belching along EDSA has decreased significantly over the past year.

Santiago said this could indicate that violators have complied with the requirements and performed maintenance work on their vehicles.

"However, this could also mean that vehicles simply avoid EDSA, where the anti-smoke belching teams are situated.

Fernando gave his assurance that the campaign against smoke belching would continue despite the limitations.