MENRE ramps up effort to reduce air pollution in Cotabato City
Climate Change/Environment • 08:45 AM Thu Oct 19, 2023
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Johaira Sahidala/BIO
The first-ever Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station in Cotabato City inaugurated by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and Energy on Oct. 4.(Michael Camsa/BIO)
COTABATO CITY - In an ongoing endeavor to curb air pollutants in this city, the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) inaugurated the first-ever Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (AQMS) here on Oct. 4.
Located atop the new MENRE Executive Building, this pioneering AQMS in the region will significantly reinforce Cotabato City's air quality surveillance while bolstering the region's anti-air pollution campaign.
The AQMS operates as a systematic, long-term assessment of pollutant levels within a 50-kilometer radius, measuring the quantity and types of specific pollutants such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide.
Data on air pollution collected by the station will serve as the foundation for planning and drafting air quality management programs and policies by environmentalists, local government units (LGUs), and other concerned stakeholders.
Meanwhile, MENRE Minister Akmad Brahim emphasized AQMS’s role in enabling MENRE to swiftly respond to climate change and empower the people of Bangsamoro to make well-informed health choices.
“These remarkable achievements not only signify a milestone in the growth of this Ministry but also represent a significant step toward a healthier and more sustainable future for the Bangsamoro region,” he said.
“As we step into this new chapter, I am confident that these breakthroughs will play pivotal roles in the region’s well-being and development,” he further added.
Simultaneous with the launching, a new executive building that now houses the offices of the Deputy Minister, Bangsamoro Director General, Support to Operations Divisions, Energy Management, and Development Services, as well as a wider conference room, was inaugurated.
The installation of real-time ambient air quality monitoring equipment falls under the 8th of the Enhanced 12- Point Priority Agenda of the Government of the Day aiming to build resilient communities and strengthen the environment and natural resources protection, conservation rehabilitation through the enforcement of laws, and the enhancement of social cohesive development initiatives.