The Environmental Management Bureau, through the Air Quality Management Section (AQMS) conducted a Consultation Meeting on the development of the National Air Quality Status Report (NAQSR) for CY 2022 on June 26, 2024, via Microsoft Teams. The said meeting was attended by technical staff from the EMB Regional Offices and staff members from the different divisions and sections of the EMB Central Office.

In her welcome message, EMB Director Jacqueline A. Caancan said that the NAQSR will also serve as the foundation on improving the Integrated Air Quality Improvement Framework, which in turn envisions a national air quality management system to manage and enforce the requirements of the Clean Air Act. “This collaboration is part of our collective efforts to safeguard and improve air quality nationwide. With your service and resolute commitment to help combat air pollution in the country, we can safeguard our communities against the perils posed by air pollution,” Director Caancan said.

 

Dr. Mylene G. Cayetano of the University of the Philippines- Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (UP-IESM), and the lead focal of the project, together with the AQMS staff, facilitated the discussions on the possible contents and information to be included in the Report. Participants from the Regional Offices likewise shared the best practices, learnings and challenges that they have encountered in the implementation of their offices’ respective air quality management programs.

The NAQSR, which is prepared by the DENR, through the EMB, contains the summary of the extent of air pollution in the country, including its types and sources. It also contains the current state, trends and projections of air pollution, as well as the actions and initiatives of government agencies and stakeholders in air quality management, and air quality performance rating of various industries. Previous versions of the report cover the periods of 1975-2002, 2003-2004, 2005-2007, 2008-2015, 2016-2018 and 2019-2020.