Chill could worsen pollution in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The chill in Baguio and the rest of the highlands has its drawbacks too.

Even as the cold spell is bringing tourism and brisk business to the city, particularly to  the underground retail “wagwag” (ukay-ukay) business of winter clothes and apparel, the highland chill, the Environmental Management Bureau–Cordillera said, could worsen the air quality.

EMB-CAR Planning Division OIC-Chief Wilhelmina Lagunilla was quoted as saying the city’s cold weather could cause the pollutants to stay in the air than during the warmer or normal weather.

On Sunday (January 19), Baguio’s temperature dipped to a low of 8.1 degrees, so far the lowest this year.

On January 18, 1961, Baguio temperature reached a record low of 6.3 degrees.

PAGASA-Baguio weather specialist Engr. Danny Galati said Tuesday’s temperature rose to  10.5 degrees Celsius compared to Monday's 8.4 degrees Celsius.

Lagunilla however said that recent studies and air quality monitoring by the agency showed that air pollution is being experienced more during the cold weather.  Pollutants such as vehicle emission and other sources, she said, are suspended in the air longer due to the colder weather that may create more pollution in the city of Baguio and other areas affected by the cold climate.

She said the colder weather will make the total particulate matter from the source of pollutants dissipate in the air slower than the usual and these particulate could be inhaled by the residents.

The traffic congestion at Baguio’s Central Business District is seen as one of the sources of pollutants particularly during the weekends when the traffic number coding is lifted and all sorts of vehicles ply the city’s main thoroughfares.

More than a decade ago,  Baguio along  with five other major cities in the country, were found by the World Bank as most polluted locations. 

Lagunilla commended the project of the city to maintain plants and other vegetation as it  is a good intervention in lessening the air pollution in the central business district since the plants can absorb some pollutants such as carbon monoxide from the vehicle emissions.

PAGASA-Baguio has said that highland chill, though warming ittle bit in the coming summer months, might go on until May because of the tail-end of the cold front.