Beneath the Smokey Mountain—a closer look into Barangay 128, Tondo, Manila

Today, the Smokey Mountain is encircled by a sprawling community consisting of 30 tenement buildings, some of which form the Barangay 128 that we know today. At least 23,000 people live in Brgy. 128 as of 2020. This figure represents 3.6% of Tondo’s total population, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. 

On the other side of the barangay sits the northern part of the Port of Manila, the Manila North Harbor Port, which provides seaport and shipping occupations to Metro Manila and residents of other nearby provinces. 

Perceptions of air quality in the barangay 

As part of the initial engagement with Brgy. 128, Clean Air Asia conducted a survey in September 2021 to provide a provide a better understanding of the people's perceptions and opinions on the air quality and health of the community. A total of 258 residents participated in the survey, comprising mainly females around 35-44 years old. 

The survey identified the top three sources of air pollution in their area: burning of non-garbage materials (such as copper wires), vehicle exhaust, and the burning of garbage. 

Almost half of the participants (44.2%) said that they or their family members have experienced symptoms or illnesses that can be attributed to air pollution such as coughing, asthma, itchy eyes, and sore throat within the last six months. Of this number, almost a hundred (96) identified air pollution as the cause of the illness. 17 respondents told Clean Air Asia that they have a family member who has had a serious illness, or might have died from a serious illness, within the past year. 12 identified that family members have had a stroke, while 9 have suffered heart attacks.

Community engagement and air quality management 

Community engagement is essential in addressing air pollution issues. It provides an avenue for localized and collaborative innovations and solutions to combat air pollution. Representatives of the City of Manila recommended that Brgy. 128, currently led by Brgy. Captain Sigfred Hernane, help implement pollution control measures from the city’s Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP).  

Brgy. 128 is the first among the communities that Clean Air Asia partners with in promoting community-based actions for clean air and climate change mitigation. During one of the initial meetings with representatives of Brgy. 128, the community have identified a number of measures that can be implemented to help control pollution in the area. These include: implementation of strict environmental regulations; organization of information drives and outreach programs; strengthening youth involvement and partnerships with local government units and other stakeholders; utilizing appropriate communication channels for coordination with key stakeholders and institutions. 

Clean Air Asia will form and train a Community Task Force that will lead a process in developing and implementing clean air actions. These community-based solutions are expected to improve the overall air quality in the area, and ultimately minimize the negative impacts of air pollution on people's health and the environment.