House Speaker Manuel Villar with environmental stakeholders
yesterday expressed support for the public awareness campaign on
the accelerated phase-out of leaded gasoline as part of the
preparation for the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 8749, the
Clean Air Act, which will take effect in January, 2001.
Speaking at the two-day Asian Development Bank-sponsored (ADB)
public campaign workshop held at the ADB auditorium in Mandaluyong
City, Villar said that the Clean Air Act could pave the way for a
comprehensive solution to the worsening air pollution in the
country. One of the provisions of the Clean Air Act is the
prohibition to manufacture, import and sell leaded gasoline and
engines or components that require leaded gasoline.
"We in the 11th Congress of the House of
Representatives, are serious in our environmental agenda," he
stressed, enumerating the passage of other environmental laws.
In an ADB report, Villar noted that air pollution in Metro
Manila is three times over the standards prescribed by the World
Health Organization (WHO).
Airborne pollution accounts for the lowering of Filipino
children�s intelligence quotient as they are exposed to harmful
elements, Department of Health reports said.
Energy Secretary Mario B. Tiaoqui, in the said event, said that
the national government has allotted P50 million for the
Department of Energy to set up and operate a new petroleum testing
laboratory and equipment to compliment the full implementation of
the said provision.
On the part of the oil companies, Tiaoqui said that they have
been carrying out efforts to invest and prepare for the full shift
to unleaded gasoline.
"Apart from unleaded gasoline, oil users can also look
forward to cleaner diesel; sulfur content of diesel will be
reduced further from the present level of .5 weight percent to .2
percent in 2001," he said.
Massive public awareness, Tiaoqui added, is the key to the
success of the accelerated phase-out of leaded gasoline, as this
would eliminate misconceptions that the shift from the use of
leaded to unleaded gas will be disadvantageous to vehicle owners.
Rep. Nereus Acosta further explained that public acceptance
could be attained through the "paradigm shift of
consciousness." People should be educated and informed about
the benefits that they could get from the shift.
