Air particulates in Jaro area unhealthy for sensitive individuals—DENR
Passengers of a public utility jeepney cover their
nose as they pass by Jaro area.
The dust in Jaro area is very unhealthy for sensitive groups especially those with asthma and other respiratory ailments, warns the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region VI.
Recent air quality monitoring result taken at the sampling station at Jaro Police Station showed that the Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) or dust had already exceeded the Air Quality Guideline value of 230 microgram per normal cubic meter (ug/Ncm).
The agency noted that before the flood the TSP were recorded at 62ug/Ncm (June 6); 89 ug/Ncm (June 12); and 76ug/Ncm (June 18). On July 1, after the flood and dried silt was all over the area of Jaro the air sampling results registered at 264 ug/Ncm.
EMB Regional Director Bienvenido Lipayon said that the monitoring result is only for the Jaro Plaza and its surrounding areas.
Monitoring will also be done in other flood affected areas where accumulated silt are being plowed only on the side of the streets.
It should be noted that in the streets from Jaro Plaza to the Central Philippine University and from Jaro Plaza to Tabuc Suba silt collected were placed on the roadside and when dried up are being blown by the wind especially during the passing of the vehicles where combustions provide an air pressure that gather the dusty contaminants to swirl and spread at the atmosphere. These contaminants are being inhaled by the commuters as well as the people residing along the roadside.