MANILA AIR QUALITY

[luistaylormd]

Pollution affects 98% of Metro folk

The Philippine Star 04/27/2005

HONG KONG - Up to 98 percent of residents in Manila are affected by
air pollution and 50 percent want to move to a less polluted place,
according to the latest results released from an Asian air pollution
survey by a global market research company.

The Hong Kong-based Synovate's study involved over 4,500 respondents
across major cities in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines and
Thailand, and examined residents' perceptions of air pollution and
their environmental concerns.

Carole Solidum Sarthou, managing director of Synovate Philippines,
said
the results of the survey demonstrated that residents believe air
pollution has a significant impact on their lives and that the problem
was not improving.

"With 98 percent of residents in Manila indicating they are affected
by
the air pollution and 71 percent believing that the air quality has
worsened over the past year, air pollution is clearly a significant
problem for a very large proportion of the population," Sarthou said.

"The air pollution is affecting people in many different ways, with 82
percent of respondents indicating that they were experiencing
irritation to their eyes, nose and throat, 57 percent breathless or
having more difficulties in breathing and 27 percent attributing skin
problems to the pollution," she said.

Air pollution is also having an impact upon people's emotional lives,
with 62 percent of residents in Manila worrying about the living
environment for children and 40 percent feeling depressed due to air
pollution.

Of the respondents affected by air pollution, 50 percent indicated
that
it made them want to move to a less polluted place.

"The survey reveals that residents in Manila aren't just being
affected by the air pollution in a physical manner, but that it is
also
having a perceived effect on their emotional lives. This is a real
cost, both in terms of increased medical bills and standard of
living,"
Sarthou said.

"As a result, people are now willing to make sacrifices to improve
their lives through reduced air pollution and they are also eager to
see more done to encourage a better environment."

This includes action by industry and government that may have a direct
financial impact upon consumers. Most respondents (85 percent) agree
that polluting companies should be fined even if it puts some jobs at
risk, and the same percentage agree that government should do more to
promote and encourage a better environment even if taxes were raised
slightly.

A further 75 percent agree that power stations and factories should
switch to cleaner processes, even if consumer bills and prices have to
go up.

Residents in Manila are also ready to take individual action, with 93
percent believing that improving the environment is the responsibility
of every citizen and 77 percent indicating that they are actively
involved in cleaning up the environment.

Further education however is required, with 87 percent of residents
believing that if they knew how to contribute to a better environment
they would take action. The government also needs to be involved, with
94 percent of respondents indicating that they would like to see the
government more actively implementing recycling programs in the city.

Sarthou said that the clear message from the study was how strongly
people in Manila feel about air pollution and the environment, and the
very real impact bad air quality has on their lives.

"Importantly, the survey also highlights the need for the governments
and NGOs to wok together to educate citizens and provide the necessary
policies to help create a better environment," she added.

Other findings in the Philippine survey had 94 percent of respondents
saying motor vehicles were the primary cause of pollution in the city,
and 54 percent saying it was due to industrial sources or factories
and
manufacturing facilities.

An overwhelming 83 percent of Manila respondents also said that police
should stop and check car emissions more frequently even if it causes
traffic.

On the statement that pollution was hopeless, respondents were split
with 39 percent agreeing that nothing could be done, 31 percent still
believing the air quality could be improved, and 30 percent
noncommittal.

Synovate is a leading global research company, operating in 44
countries and employing more than 4,000 people.

The survey was conducted in December 2004 through Synovate's monthly
omnibus survey, using a representative sampling of consumers aged
15-64
who were interviewed in the markets of China (Shanghai, Beijing,
Guangzhou, Wuhan), Hong Kong, Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Thailand
(Bangkok), and the Philippines (Manila).

No margin of error was given.