National Capital Region, Anti – Smoke Belching Operation

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau’s (DENR-EMB) partner agencies and other Local Government Units of the Bantay Tambutso Project also known as the Anti-Smoke Belching Operation has conducted roadside apprehension of smoke belching vehicles in strategic areas in Metro Manila. The following local government units participated in this project: Makati City, Mandaluyong City, San Juan City, Muntinlupa City, Pasig City, Pasay City and Quezon City; as well as the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). With the help of at least one apprehension team stationed per office, they were able to check 60,915 vehicles in 2019. The Pasay City ASBU was able to garner the greatest number of vehicles checked with over 12,610 vehicles.
40,392 vehicles or about 66% of the total vehicles tested did not meet the opacity standard of the smoke emitted. On a smaller scale, Quezon City had an 96% fail rate of apprehended vehicles, the highest ratio amongst the LGUs. Consequently, all vehicles which did not meet the standard will have their owners served with citation tickets and/or license confiscated. For the said document/s to be returned to the owners, they must pay the penalty and their vehicles must first meet the prescribed standard opacity.

In terms of number of failed vehicles per identified vehicle type, a total of 42,861 vehicles were checked in 2019. The month of January 2019 garnered the highest number of vehicles that did not pass the opacity standard, which totaled to 5,377 vehicles or 13% of the year. On the other hand, Private Van had the highest number of vehicles that exceeded the standard opacity with 18,184 vehicles or 42% of the total number of vehicles that exceeded the standard opacity.

COC ISSUED