BY MAE SINGUAY
BACOLOD City – The Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) is collaborating with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for the implementation of an anti-smoke belching campaign in the city, aligning with Republic Act (RA) 8749 or the Clean Air Act.
In a letter to LTO regional director Atty. Gaudioso Geduspan, BTAO deputy head Jose Antonio Robello formally informed the agency of the plan and requested the deployment of an Anti-Smoke Belching Unit to Bacolod City.
Robello emphasized that the initiative aims to ensure compliance with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) standards for motor vehicles, regulate vehicle flow in and out of the city, and guarantee that only roadworthy vehicles operate on Bacolod’s streets, prioritizing public safety.
However, Robello clarified that BTAO currently lacks the authority to enforce the anti-smoke belching law unless the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) amends the city’s environmental ordinances to grant BTAO the power to apprehend and penalize violators.
He noted that while Bacolod City does not have a specific ordinance targeting smoke belching, existing regulations partially address the issue. Among these are City Ordinance (CO) No. 307, which mandates that 10% of fines collected from anti-smoke belching violations be allocated to fund the State of the Environment Report (SER), and CO No. 313, which requires annual inspections of business sites to ensure environmental compliance. The latter also obligates businesses to secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) or Certificate of Non-Coverage before obtaining permits.
The proposed campaign is expected to bolster the city’s environmental sustainability efforts while addressing health and safety concerns related to vehicle emissions./PN
