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The Partnership for Clean Air (PCA) is the national network of the Clean Air Initiatives for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia) in the Philippines. Membership of PCA is both in the institutional/organizational and individual level. Members come from various sectors: government, business, civil society organizations, academe, media, and even international development organizations. Government representatives are considered ex-officio members of the Board be designated by head of the agency concerned. This is also true for donor development agencies.
The Partnership for Clean Air (PCA) has evolved from the Lead-Free Coalition, then the Coalition for Cleaner Fuels. The core members started out as the group of concerned citizens who lobbied for the phase-out of lead in gasoline, as mandated in the Philippine Clean Air Act. Building on the success of a multisectoral co-opting strategy, the idea of a Partnership for Clean Air was born. It was formally launched in June 8, 2001.
PCA is now a legal entity registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and incorporated as a non-stock, non-profit corporation on November 23, 2003 as Partnership for Clean Air, Inc.
PCA built its membership since its launch in 2001 to 140 organization members and more than 50 individual volunteers. Membership drive has been initiated to make these organizations and individuals official members to the PCA network.
The PCA secretariat operations were initially funded by a US-AEP grant in the first 6 months. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded the consultants that made up the secretariat and all operations, overheads and projects for 2.5 years. The core operations of the PCA Secretariat are being supported by Pilipinas Shell, Manila Observatory, and Mirant Philippines, Inc.
Partnership for Clean Air drafts Citizen Suit guidelines
The Partnership for Clean Air (PCA), CAI-Asia Center's local network in the Philippines, submitted for approval the final draft department administrative orders to the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in April 2008. Once approved, these administrative orders would encourage citizens to file suits against owners of smoke-belching vehicles, industries exceeding emission standards, and public officials not performing their duties under the Philippine Clean Air Act.
PCA worked closely with staff of DOTC, DENR, and their attached agencies in drafting of the administrative orders. PCA received funding from the World Bank for this project. USAID's Energy and Clean Air Program supported consultation meetings with stakeholders and awareness raising events on the citizen suit. Various organizations such as the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, the Metro Manila Anti Smoke Belching Units Association, and the member organizations of PCA (e.g., Earth Day Network, Air and Waste Management Association-Philippine Section, Federation of Philippine Industries, MIRIAM Environmental Studies Institute, Manila Observatory, Philippine Business for the Environment, Bantay Kalikasan, Petroleum Institute of the Philippines) actively supported the project. For more information about the project, please contact PCA's President, Fr. Dan McNamara at daniel@observatory.ph or frdirdan@yahoo.com.
The PCA is dedicated in promoting air quality management as a multi-stakeholder effort in the Philippines and in facilitating the air quality activities of members and stakeholders through information exchange among network members.
The section below states the efforts which have been accomplished of PCA in 2007 towards achieving its specific objectives.
Organizational Development
The following activities have been undertaken by PCA in 2007 in the area of organizational development:
- Organized potential partners and support groups: Bosch, AIPSI, LPG group, UP-NCTS, UP-SURP, PBSP Environment group, Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines, Ecos Foundation, US ECAP, DOTC, among others;
- Mobilized support from the PCA listserv/members posting a call for concerted efforts to lobby for increased national budget in the sphere of environment and natural resources and clean air programs to Philippine Congress in order for the CAA agencies fulfill their mandates.
Knowledge Management
The following activities were undertaken by PCA in the area of Knowledge Management and Public Awareness:
- Activated members of the MM Airshed Board – Capacity Building and IEC component through the Office of EMB-EEID to share news, information and other knowledge products and make such information accessible to members;
- Submitted 3 news digests.
Capacity Building
In the area of capacity building, the following activities were undertaken in 2007:
- Organized Speakers Pool for the Air Quality Management Training for the Philippine Cities;
- Submitted project proposal on Air Quality Management Training for Philippine Cities to Logofind Project, DOF;
- Initially developed a training module for the Industry sector on AQM and Climate Change.
Policy Dialogue and Networking
The following are the efforts of PCA towards policy dialogue and networking towards better AQM in Nepal:
- Participated in the development of proposed alternative budget for the use in national budget lobbying in Congress to improve budget allocation in areas of environment and natural resources, clean air and climate change concerns in partnership with the Alternative Budget/Environment Coalition;
- Facilitated in organizing a joint policy review of the CAA-IRR between DENR-EMB, LTO other stakeholders especially in the aspects of roadside apprehension, accessing of Air Quality Management Fund (AQMF), PETC monitoring, among others.
Implementation and Investments
The key activities undertaken in 2007 were:
- Submitted project proposal to PIP with assistance from CAI-Asia;
- Implemented the Citizen Suit Project, a draft joint DENR-DOTC Department Administrative Order was developed and presently routed for comments to concerned agencies and other stakeholders.
Organizational Development
The activities for organizational development in 2008 are:
- Conduct a general assembly;
- Sustain membership from the private sector/business, media, showbiz, health sector, organizations of victims of air pollution, local government units, youth organizations;
- Conduct quarterly project/activity sharing with PCA members and partners;
- Members to develop the so-called "membership care program."
Knowledge Management
The following knowledge management activities are to be undertaken in 2008:
- News digest;
- On-line news letter National Air Quality meet;
- Posting of info to the PCA webpage.
Capacity Building
The following capacity building activities are planned for 2008:
A. Capacity Building for LGUs
- Conduct of First set of Air Quality Management Training for; Philippines Cities;
- Farm out funding for 2nd set of AQMT;
- Implement 2nd set of AQMT
B. Capacity Building for the Industry
- Develop AQM training module for industry;
- Prepare project proposal ;
- Implement Training;
- For school-based AQM training.
Policy Dialogue and Networking
The following activities are planned for 2008:
- Develop DAO amending roadside apprehension procedures and requirements, AQMF accessing, PETC monitoring, others;
- PCA to influence DENR to approve stricter emission standards for tricycles/motorbike;
- Develop joint DAO to create City ENRO and come up with Air Quality Management Plan and fund support for plan implementation;
- Discuss with relevant agencies the formulation of the following: 1) National Transport Plan, 2) Adoption of BRT, 3) AQM/GHG monitoring with industry sector, 4) Emissions study, 5) Air Quality and Health Monitoring.
Implementation and Investments
The following tasks are planned for 2008:
- Clean Technology for Tricycle Project implementation;
- Submit tricy project proposal for funding;
- Citizen Suit Project – refinement of the Joint DAO, approval and promulgation, final report to World Bank;
- Follow-up Sagip Hangin Project proposal with DOTC.
Fr. Daniel McNamara
President
Partnership for Clean Air
Tel: Tel: +632 426-5921 to 23
Email: daniel(at)observatory(dot)ph or frdirdan(at)yahoo(dot)com
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