Greenpeace assails 5 departments for seeking to stop Clean Air Act

An international environmental group assailed yesterday the five government agencies that are seeking the deferment of the implementation of the Clean Air Act.

In a press conference, Greenpeace campaign coordinator for Southeast Asia Von Hernandez said that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) should take a firm stand and implement the Clean Air Act to save the deteriorating environment.

Hernandez is reacting to DENR Secretary Antonio Cerilles’ revelations earlier that the Departments of Health (DOH), Trade and Industry (DTI), Energy (DOE), Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and Interior and Local Government (DILG) are seeking the deferment of the Clean Air Act as they expressed concern over its possible negative impact on the weakening economy of the country.

Hernandez said that the DENR should not heed the pressures of the five agencies and push through with the implementation of the Clean Air Act.

"It is ironic that while the law has already been approved and the task of the DENR is to make sure that the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) is finalized so we can implement the law properly, these agencies are pushing for its deferment," Hernandez said.

Hernandez said that Health Secretary Alberto Romualdez opposed the implementation of the Clean Air Act because of the second hand incinerators that the agency bought from Austria.

"We find it very unsettling that the DOH led by no less than Romualdez himself is not at all bothered by the cancer-causing emission of incinerators" Hernandez said.

Hernandez said that DTI Secretary Mar Roxas is also opposing the law because of strong lobbying from different industries against it.