2020 Lockdowns cut air pollution by over 50% —DENR exec

An Environment official said Saturday that the 2020 lockdowns due to COVID-19 pushed down air pollution metrics in the country by over 50% of the pre-pandemic level.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Engineer Jundy de Socorro, chief Air quality Management Section of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), said that the total suspended particulates dropped to 40 micrograms per normal cubic meter.

De Socorro based the decline rate from the guideline values under the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999, which was set at 90 micrograms/cubic meter.

But he clarified that the pollution record in 2020 was excluded in the annual air pollution assessment because it was not comparable with previous years' as the data sampling was impacted by the lockdowns, and there were data collection stations that were not calibrated.

"Hindi siya comparable sa annual assessment kasi may mga station na hindi na-calibrate at hindi nakumpleto ang sampling, laluna sa dami ng lockdowns."

But he said the effect of the enhanced community quarantine on air quality was very obvious.

"Last year, ang laki ng ibinaba ng air pollution, makikita na natin ang skyline ng Matro Manila against the bluish sky background actually from Bataan," he said.

(Air pollution dropped dramatically, so much so that we can see from Bataan Metro Manila's skyline against a bluish sky background).

He pointed out that based on their emissions inventory, 75% of air pollution comes from transportation.

Pressed on their assessment on the implementation of the Clean Air Act, Socorro said that from 2004, which had 144 micrograms/m³ -- way above the guideline value -- the 2019 pre-pandemic pollution value was around 100.

In the second quarter of 2021, the value dropped to 88 micrograms/m³, or a 39% reduction from the 2004 level. —LBG, GMA News