In support to RA 8749 (Philippine Clean Air Act of 2009), and its implementation of clean air programs, the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), through the Environmental Quality Management Division-Air Quality Management Section (EQMD-AQMS) held a three-day Training Workshop on Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS), Continuous Opacity Monitoring System (COMS), Continuous Emission Rate Monitoring System (CERMS) and Particulate Matter CEMS (PM-CEMS).

The Training Workshop, which was held on October 25-27, 2022, and conducted both face-to-face and online, aims to capacitate the technical individuals of EMB Regional Offices in the assessment and observation of the different CEMS-COMS-CERMS audit procedures.

In her welcome remarks, Assistant Director Engr. Vizminda A Osorio emphasized the hope for more firms with existing established CEMS and COMS units, to be connected to the Uniform Data Acquisition and Handling Systems (DAHS).

Meanwhile, Engr. Marcelino N. Rivera, Jr., OIC-Chief of the EQMD shared the objectives of the activity, which include familiarization of CEMS and COMS operating principles as well as related auditing procedures and processes.

In his presentation, AQMS Section Chief Engr. Jundy del Socorro said that the EMB needs to further develop and improve its technical knowledge on CEMS and COMS, by being familiar with auditing procedures, and having its own CEMS equipment.

Resource speakers from the AQMS of the EMB Central Office facilitated the discussions on DENR Administrative Order 2007-22 (Guidelines on the Requirements for CEMS), Establishment of Integrated Air Quality Network for CEMS and COMS through Uniform DAHS, Demonstration of the new Online Stack Sampling and Monitoring System, and Public Consultation on Observer’s Manual Checklist.

On the other hand, Mr. Glenn Dale Delica of Industramach discussed the Basics of Continuous Emissions Rate Monitoring System (CERMS), COMS and Particulate Matter CEMS (PM-CEMS) (Performance Specifications 1, 6, 11), Ms. Carolyn Y De Los Santos of Envari OPC discussed the Basics of CEMS (Performance Specifications 2, 3, 4), while Engr. Maricel Javier of San Buenaventura Power Ltd. Co.-Quezon Power Ltd Co. (SBPL-QPL) tackled Quality Assurance Plans, Policies, Procedures and Practices.

Also included in the training-workshop was a question-and-answer and discussion where the participants from the EMB Regional Office got to ask questions from the resource speakers and share inputs from their training exercises and break-out sessions.

In closing, Engr. William P. Cuñado, EMB Director, thanked and showed his sincerest appreciation to all the resource speakers and participants of the training-workshop.