Health
"There is definitely a perceived threat among Filipinos, brought about by pollution," says Carole Sarthou, managing director of Synovate Philippines, a global market research team with offices worldwide. In 2005, Sarthou's group surveyed the perception that pollution is impacting the lives of Asians (Filipinos included), both physically and emotionally. Ninety-four percent of local respondents believe that pollution comes from motor vehicle emissions. "The respondents feel that they should do more to keep healthy, as a consequence of having polluted air," she adds.
It doesn't take a genius to know that these perceptions are a reality. The Department of Health holds data that convincingly link pollution to pulmonary diseases among street sweepers and jeepney drivers, both exposed daily to polluted air. "Malaking bagay na na-phase out na natin yung lead sa ating mga gasoline," says John Paul Balayon, » operations manager of Bantay Kalikasan, a non-government organization that promotes environmental awareness. "But as far as we know, the quality of our diesel still does not meet the standards set by the Clean Air Act." The Clean Air Act (Republic Act No. 8749) is comprised of comprehensive legislation to address air quality, pollution control, and sustainable development. For instance, it sets specifications and standards for all types of fuel, additives, substances, and pollutants. It's why we've started loading up on unleaded gasoline. Of course, you only have to see the thick emissions from buses that ply the metro to know that these standards are still defied. What further compounds our air quality problems are the hand-me down engines that most bus operators and jeepney builders use. "It's a war of attrition, " says Daisy Jacobo, chief of traffic safety division of the Land Transportation Office (LTO). Jacobo is referring to the government's effort in enforcing traffic laws, with pollution and vehicle volume as their main concerns. "We'll impound the buses of violating operators, sometimes even revoking some licenses to operate." But the LTO is just one of 17 attached agencies under the Department of Transportation and Communication. And Jacobo admits that they are undermanned, forcing her to go out and check the streets herself most of the time. But she is hopeful that public utility vehicles will be outmoded in time, as more commuter trains are made and linked together as a more efficient means of transportation. "I would personally love to walk leisurely around the streets with my kids," she says. "Pero hindi puwede e. Di bale, parang yung nangyari sa mga kalesa, mawawala rin yan mga buses and jeeps."
Until then, would moving outside the metropolis help? "There is considerable difference in the quality of air from Metro Manila to, say, Laguna or Pampanga," says Balayon. "But you have to consider that winds blow from polluted areas to the provinces." At any given time, however, the air is significantly cleaner in the rural areas. It's likely why real estate sales in the south are growing. But if you can't relocate, plant trees. Research shows that 10 full grown trees are needed to clean vehicle emissions of one car. Or you can move to Las Piñas. According to the Environmental Management Bureau's air quality monitoring, this area has the cleanest air within Metro Manila. "This could be due to the wind moving in Laguna de Bay and Manila Bay," says Balayon.
So, what can you do if you really love the great outdoors but don't want to get emphysema? Unfortunately, unlike bad food or water that you can easily dispose of in favor of better alternatives, breathing in bad air leaves us with no choice.
You walk out the door and you inhale it. But we are lucky to be in a tropical environment. "Malaking bagay ang itinutulong ng ulan," Balayon tells me. "When the rain falls, it washes away the pollutants in the air." It is also important to know the time of the day that you can exercise without doing your body harm. Henry Gong Jr, MD, an air-pollution researcher at the University of Southern California medical school, suggests exercising early in the day; diesel particulates, ozone, and other pollutants are at their lowest then. Or jog at nightfall, when traffic subsides. Ozone forms when sunlight reacts with automobile and industrial emissions, so it accumulates to significant levels by about 11 AM and peaks at around 3 PM. (After sunset, ozone can no longer form, so the concentration decreases.) By the same token, ozone levels are significantly higher during the sunnier months. Other practical tactics include keeping away from congested streets. Idling motors release more pollutants than vehicles in motion. Sunsets at Manila Bay may inspire you to jog at Roxas Boulevard, but the lines of diesel-fueledbuses plying that route can choke your lungs. Try the tree-rich environment of the University of the Philippines in Diliman and the Ateneo de Manila University in Katipunan, instead. Stay away from the Quezon City Memorial Circle as well, which now houses more commercial establishments than trees. It does not help that the park sits as an island in the middle of heavy traffic.
Experts agree that if we can all get our acts together, Metro Manila's air can exponentially be improved within 2-3 years. Political will goes a long way in helping the cause, but you can also do your part (see "What goes around comes around"). "In the end, we are all accountable," says Balayon. "Apparently, most of us aren't deterred unless the matter becomes immediate; we only get concerned when we get affected." Visually, because it's nearly invisible, bad air does not disgust as much as dirty water does. But go up any high rise and that thick, black smoke that hangs like a twisted, evil halo on top of our streets becomes glaringly apparent.
I should know—I inhale it everyday, from that opened window in the gym by EDSA. And here's one thing I've come to learn: when it comes to health, it's often what you can't see that gets you.
» Health archive
Men's Health Philippines - October 2006 Issue
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