5 gov’t agencies warn of ill-effects of Clean Air Act

Five government agencies want the implementation of the Clean Air Act deferred as they expressed concern over its possible negative impact on the weakening economy of the country.

Environment and Natural Resource Secretary Antonio Cerilles identified the agencies that advised him to "go slow" in the implementation of the Clean Air Act as the departments of trade and industry, health, transportation and communications, energy and finance.

Cerilles said that the five agencies requested his office to conduct first a study on the economic impact of the Clean Air Act’s full implementation.

"The DOTC, DOE, DTI, DOH, and DOF claimed that the full implementation of the Clean Air Act may contribute to the continuous rise in the prices of gasoline and it might add to economic woes and will further heighten the consumers concern," Cerilles said.

Cerilles said the request increased the pressures that the DENR is encountering being the lead agency mandated under the law to implement the Clean Air Act.

"I am under constraint by the Clean Air Act. I have limited time to prepare the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) so unless and until Congress tells me to postpone or delay the implementation, I will be forced to implement it," he said.

Cerilles added that no one has yet filed a petition before Congress asking for its postponement.

According to Cerilles, the DENR expects to issue the IRR within this week or next week adding that it is now on its near completion.

He also expressed confidence in the smooth implementation of the law despite Congress’ failure to allocate funding for the Clean Air Act.

"We expect to implement the phase out of lead contents in gasoline and diesel oil products, which as of now is only implemented in Metro Manila.

Next time it would be all over the country. We don’t need money for that. What we need to do is let other government agencies monitor its implementation," Cerilles said.

He said the DENR has asked at least P750 million for the implementation of the Clean Air Act for this year but Congress failed to allocate even a single centavo.

"The P750 million funding should go to the different agencies which have jurisdiction on the law. The DENR is supposed to get at least P300 million being the lead agency," he explained.

Meanwhile, the DENR issued yesterday an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) to a proposed sanitary landfill project in La Union.

During a simple signing ceremony, Cerilles personally handed over the newly signed ECC to San Fernando, La Union Mayor Mary Jane Ortega.

Cerilles said that the proposed landfill in La Union would help prevent a garbage crisis in the country, particularly in Metro Manila.