By Jessie R. Valdez

San Fernando City, La Union (26 October) -- To preserve the environment and protect the people from exposure to pollution caused by hazardous emissions and toxic elements, the city of San Fernando, La Union under the leadership of City Mayor Mary Jane C. Ortega, known to be a clean air warrior, has taken a substantive boost.

With her full commitment and dedication, her programs on air pollution control with solid waste management, greening and fisheries resource management had helped a lot in improving air quality in the city.

Also, through her continuing advocacy such as the use of "basura", messages of composting, recycling and waste management thru seminars and jingles that were carried on radio before as well as personal visits to the barangays, she was able to successfully motivate the people to implement environmental ordinances.

Motor vehicles or the transport sector are the major contributors of air pollution in the cities and provinces. It impairs human health, causes deterioration of ecosystem and affects the economy such as tourism, as it reduces the attraction of an area for visitors.

It was for this reason, that previous reports said, Mayor Ortega met with the city tricycle drivers and operators to encourage them to use the new 4 stroke engine operation instead of the old 2 stroke engines. With her offer for a free-interest loans to augment their expenses, the Mayor was able to convince them and this led to the passing of a city resolution.

In the city, all motorized vehicles are required to be checked for gas emission before they're registered at the LTO. This for one reason why rare are seen of smoke belching tricycles and other motor vehicles plying the route in the city.

Based from previous reports, the city is among the top cities in the list of cities which have excelled in the sanitation, environmental protection and clean & green campaign.

The Ecological Sanitation (ECOSAN) project of the city in reducing, revising, & recycling waste with 62 ecosan toilets have piloted 2 barangays - San Agustin and Nagyubuyuban while at Fisherman's village, barangay Poro and Science Centrum have one ecosan units each. San Fernando City is proud to be the very 1st in practicing ECOSAN technology in the country.

According to the report, ecosan technology, human waste is transformed into something beneficial to the human race while preserving precious drinking water.

On the city's marine protection, the report also revealed that the city established a Kasay marine Protected Area (MPA) by virtue of a City Ordinance No. 2004-010, and is located at barangays Cannaoay and San Vicente. The area was established for the rehabilitation and replenishment of fishery and coastal resources.

Garbage collection and disposal is treated at the city's engineered sanitary landfill. With the waste disposal management program of the city, it has gained national distinction when it became a model landfill in the country. It doesn't endanger human health and even human life.