‘Cold weather may cause air pollution’
BAGUIO CITY , Philippines – The cold weather in the highlands has its drawbacks too.
The Environmental Management Bureau-Cordillera (EMB-CAR) yesterday warned that the cold weather in Baguio City and in other highlands could worsen air quality.
EMB-CAR Planning Division officer-in-charge Wilhelmina Lagunilla said the cold weather could cause pollutants such as vehicle emissions to stay in the air longer than during normal or warmer weather, based on the results of studies and air quality monitoring.
The colder weather will make the particulate matter dissipate in the air slower than usual, and these particulates may be inhaled by people.
The traffic congestion in Baguio City’s central business district is seen as one of the major sources of pollutants, particularly during weekends when the traffic number coding is lifted so all sorts of vehicles pass through the city’s main thoroughfares.
Last Sunday, the temperature in Baguio City dipped to a low 8.1 degrees Celsius, while yesterday the temperature was only 8.4 degrees Celsius.
Last week, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that the highland chill might go on until May because of the tail end of the cold front.
Lagunilla said the project of Baguio City to maintain plants and other vegetation is a good intervention to lessen the air pollution in the central business district because the plants can take in some pollutants such as carbon monoxide from vehicle emissions.
Meanwhile, the rest of Luzon would continue to experience cold weather until the third week of February, PAGASA said yesterday.
Eight areas in Luzon experienced cold weather yesterday after temperatures dropped below 20 degrees Celsius.
In Metro Manila, the coldest temperature on Sunday was recorded at 20 degrees Celsius at 5 a.m.
Last Saturday, the temperature in the Metro Manila dropped to 17.5 degrees Celsius at 2 a.m., the coldest recorded in the metropolis so far this year.
Metro Manila recorded its coldest temperature in February 1962 at 14.6 degrees Celsius. - With Pia Lee-Brago
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