Cebu transport group supports order, but…

STRICTER EMISSION STANDARDS FOR ALL VEHICLES

One of Cebu’s biggest transport groups supports the current directive of the government to impose stricter emission standards for all vehicles starting July.

“Wa mi supak ana. Ang epekto ra g’yud namo ana kay additional cost on the part of the operator or sa driver,” said Romeo Armamento, vice president of the National Confederation of Transportworkers Union-Central Visayas.

NCTU- CV has over 2,000 members-drivers in Cebu.

Starting July 15, 2015, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will be requiring the use of cleaner fuel and will be imposing stricter emission standards for all vehicles. The new emission standards shall comply with the Euro 4 standards instead of the current Euro 2 standards.

“Additional cost ni kay naa man idungag nga additives to comply with the emission standards,” Armamento lamented.

With the implementation of the new standard, Armamento only hopes that this would not lead to more corruption on the part of emission testing centers.

“Nasayod na man ang tanan ana nga bisan di maka- comply sa standard, makapasar lang gihapon inig testing tungod sa corruption,” Armamento said.

In an earlier statement, DENR7 director Isabelo Montejo said under the Euro 4-compliant fuel, the sulfur content of diesel and gasoline is already 50 parts per million (ppm) instead of 500 ppm for Euro 2 fuel.

Benzene in gasoline is one percent by volume compared to five for Euro 2 fuel.

For aromatics, in Euro 2, it has no limit but this will be set to 35 percent by volume in Euro 4 fuel.

Montejo had said high con- tent of these pollutants could lead to respiratory and heart diseases, thus a low sulfur fuel will lead to reduced emissions of pollutants.

Aside from existing vehicles, the DENR said that all new vehicles introduced into the Philippine market by January of next year shall be equipped with Euro 4 engine and compliant with Euro 4 emission standards.

“Bisan wa gi- konsulta ang mga transport groups labi na diri sa Cebu, motuman ra gihapon mi tungod og alang sa environment,” Armamento further said.