The Capacity-Building cum Study Tour on Metro Iloilo Air-Shed Council (MIAC) of the South Cotabato Air-Shed Governing Board (SCAGB) and Technical Working Group (TWG) conducted in Iloilo City from April 1 – 2 was very fruitful and meaningful, a SCAFB-TWG member revealed recently.
Elbe Balucanag, chief of the Environment Management Division of the Provincial Environment Management Office and SCAGB-TWG Member, described how MIAC shared their “Best Practices” particularly on how air pollution monitoring is being conducted in their city.
“MIAC have their own anti-smoke belching unit (ASBU) which they use in conducting roadside vehicle smoke emission testing (SMET). The SET is conducted regularly and spearheaded by the Land Transportation Office (LTO),” Balucanag said.
She pointed out that this air pollution monitoring strategy is very effective because of the harmonized multi-agency campaign conducted on a regular basis. She plans to suggest said strategy and other best practices she has learned during one of the regular meetings of SCAGB.
Aside from “sharing sessions”, the group also toured Iloilo City’s newest and high-tech coal-fired thermal power plant located in Lapuz, Lapaz that is operated by Global Business Corporation.
The group also crossed Guimaras Strait on April 2 to visit the 27 windmills of San Lorenzo town in Guimaras Island which generates 2-Megawat power each.
Prior to the study tour, the group made courtesy calls to the Offices of the City Mayor and Provincial Governor and likewise with the Municipal Mayor of San Lorenzo, Guimaras.
The “lakbay-aral” was funded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) 12.
