Controlling noise pollutants on the road

Last week, Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno signed into law another ordinance that seeks to control road noise pollution in the City of Manila. The “Anti-muffler” as originally filed or Ordinance 8145, and later passed as Ordinance No. 8722 or the Motor Vehicles Modified Muffler Noise Regulation Ordinance, aims to control noise pollution produced by all motor vehicles in the City of Manila.

Under the new Manila law, all public or private motor vehicles are not allowed to modify or install loud exhausts systems that emit and produce noise levels beyond the national standard of 99 decibels (dB). It stipulates however that vehicles used for car shows, racing/motorsport competitions and motorcycleswith engines over 400cc are exempted from the new rule.

After the announcement of the Manila City ordinance, many motorist-netizens expressed their concerns over the social media. Many stated that they are afraid new Manila City ordinance will only cover motorcycle riders. Some netizens also expressed concerns over the lack of proper sound meters and that this will make apprehension subjective.

This is not an uncommon law and I’m sure every major city in the Philippines has anexisting ordinance that is tailored to address road noise pollution. LGUs encounter these problems all the time and the leaders either update existing ordinances, re-impose these or police it.

In 2019, Pasay City passed a law called the Anti Modified Tailpipe Ordinancethat similarly prohibits modification or installation of exhaust mufflers that exceeds 99 decibels.

In Cebu City, an ordinance was passed in 2015, updating an existing 1964 law that required “silencers” or mufflers” on all motor vehicles to avoid loud and deafening blasts from the engine’s exhaust.

The Cebu City ordinance, which requires from the motor vehicles a more subdued sound level at 84 decibels, was given an operating time of 7pm to 5am.

With a lot of existing policies in place (might differ from every city), it should be wise to refer to the Land Transportation Office guidelines of 99 decibels limit.  Any car or motorcycle beyond that limit is prohibited. Guidelines also have to be followed in measuring exhaust sound levels.  An official sound meter has to be used. No sound meter, no apprehension.  It has to be measured at a 45degree angle from the centerline of the exhaust pipe and parallel to the ground.  The meter has to be 50 centimeters from the tip of the exhaust outlet with the same height as the exhaust tip.

What is the most annoying sound one commonly hears on the road? If you ask me, it is the sound of the free flowing modified mufflers that they install on mopeds.  Those so called “bora bora” mufflers.

To effectively curb noise pollutants, I think the implementation of the law has to have stringent enforcement.

Have we seen any improvements in Cebu with this issue in the past 5 years? Are the laws controlling the road noise that they speak off?

I’ll leave that for you to judge.