THE Philippine Medical Association slammed the “lukewarm attitude” of Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel Roxas II to efforts to address air pollution in Metro Manila.
“We can’t talk to him despite several attempts to bring the problem to his agency,” PMA media affairs chairman Dr. Mike Aragon told the Manila Standard.
The country’s biggest association of doctors noted that air pollution is the silent mass killer stalking metro residents, and it is the DOTC that is the central agency crucial to solving the problem.
“Chronic breathing of polluted air has scientifically been proven to be unhealthy to human life. It can lead to respiratory diseases including lung cancer, cardiovascular disease like heart attack and stroke, neurological problems including impaired intelligence quotient and even sudden death,” PMA vice president Dr. Mardave Martinez said.
A 2008 Department of Health report revealed that of the 461,581 recorded deaths from diseases in that year, 160,415 or 34.75 percent died due to illnesses brought about by air pollution.
The same report cited that there are 1.3 million people worldwide who die due to outdoor air pollution, and another two million more from indoor pollution yearly.
Children are the most vulnerable victims of air pollution, according to DOH statistics.
PMA Governor for Manila Dr. Leo Olarte emphasized that “[80] percent of air pollution in Metro Manila comes from the more than two million motor vehicles registered in the metropolis.”
Olarte, who is an orthopedic surgeon and a practicing lawyer, said that “generally we have sufficient laws in place that should in theory safeguard the air quality in Metro Manila.”
But he also said some provisions of the laws need to be revisited. “The million-dollar question now is, why, despite this given fact, air quality in [Metro Manila] is still at an unsafe level?,” he said.
“Under the principle of public-private partnership, we in the private sector would like to work closely with our Honorable Secretary of the DOTC to find a lasting solution to the air pollution problem of Metro Manila,” Olarte said. –Macon Ramos-Araneta, Manila Standard Today
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
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