Manila tagged as 8th most polluted Asian city

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, February 10, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara, Congressional Commission on Science Technology, and Engineering (COMSTE) said that there is a need to find solution to the increasing levels of pollution, especially in the transport sector as the World Health Organization (WHO) identified Manila as the most polluted city in the Philippines while World Bank and Asian Development Bank study of air pollution for 20 major Asian cities between 2000 and 2003, Manila is on the 8^th spot that lead Filipinos to be affected by diseases like anemia, decrease fertility in females and kidney problems.

Angara said that study of COMSTE links the effects of air pollution and health in the Philippines which indicates that the air quality has progressively deteriorated in the last two decades, saying that one such solution is the development of electric and hybrid vehicles, the development of which is one of the priorities of COMSTE.

Earlier, he bares the report that the adults who are exposed to a hazardous amount of lead can experience disorders like anemia, nervous system dysfunction, hypertension, kidney problems, decreased fertility and increased level of miscarriages (in females) while children exposed to low amounts of lead may show symptoms of neurologic damage, including slow development, reduced Intelligence Quotient (IQ) scores, learning disabilities, hearing loss, reduced height and hyperactivity (ADHD), adding that in very high and severe levels, comas, convulsions and even death.

Epidemiological study observed that COPD signs and symptoms are more prevalent among jeepney drivers (32.5%) than drivers of air-conditioned buses (16.4%) and public passengers (14.8%).

The College of Public Health in UP-Manila with the support from WHO, Subida and Torres (1991) also reported that compared to other areas in the Philippines, there is an increased risk of abnormal pulmonary function by almost 50% and the risk of COPD by more than double in Manila jeepney drivers.

To address the growing need for more eco-friendly, and sustainable transport, the electric vehicle initiative is being pushed by Angara, concluding that the program can lessen the dependence on imported fuel sources and lead the way to creating energy independence while also lessening the carbon footprint of the transport sector.

“In the use of electric vehicle, air pollution will be lesser and will protect the health of the citizenry aside from being environment friendly,” the Senator ended. (Jason de Asis)

n-bot^ 5 . 0 Α 0� o-add-space:auto;text-align:justify;line-height:normal'>Anoyo was nabbed by the Munoz police at around 11 am yesterday by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by San Pablo City Regional Trial Court Branch 32 Judge Zorayda Salcedo.

Cabal said Anoyo was unarmed and did not resist arrest. He was detained at the police stockade here.

The suspect was long wanted for the killing of his sister-in-law Denia Anoyo on December 28, 1998 in San Pablo City. The Laguna Provincial Police Office has tagged him as no. 1 on its most wanted list with a reward of P75,000.   

Cabal said after the killing, Anoyo went into hiding in Guimba where he posed as a certain Rey Deveza to unsuspecting residents. “Because he has been using an alias, he was able to elude arrest in Guimba,” Cabral said, adding an intelligence build-up made possible his arrest.  

He said they are checking with other law enforcement agencies like the National Bureau of Investigation if Anoyo has other pending cases. (Jason de Asis)