The city government will upgrade its environmental protection initiatives by purchasing PHP17 million worth of equipment to measure air quality.

During a media forum on Wednesday, Armen Cuenca, chief of the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office, said the acquisition of the air quality monitoring system is part of preparations for the city’s “monopolization” with neighboring towns in Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon provinces.

“This machine will measure all kinds of particles in the air. This is one of the big purchases we are preparing by 2025,” he said.

Cuenca said the air monitoring equipment will help advance the public’s awareness of haze and other air pollution incidents.

Coliform in water

Meanwhile, Cuenca said the fecal coliform counts in the city’s water bodies remain very high, ranging from 100 to as high as 14,000 counts in its rivers and waterways.

Environment Management Bureau-Northern Mindanao Director Reynaldo Digamo Jr. also confirmed that the Cagayan River itself has a very high concentration of fecal coliform due to the absence of sewerage and a septic system that processes wastewater from a water treatment facility.

“Only two areas in Northern Mindanao have sewerage systems, Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon and Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental,” he said.

Digamo said the city’s wastewater treatment plant in Barangay Bonbon is still for construction in 2027, with a budget allocation of PHP3.5 billion. (PNA)