The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Philippines has signed a landmark agreement with South Korea to strengthen air quality monitoring and safeguard public health, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announced Friday.
DENR Assistant Secretary and Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Director Jacqueline Caancan and Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health Professor Kiyoung Lee formalized the partnership under the Clean Air for Sustainable ASEAN (CASA) Cooperation project at the Korean Embassy in Taguig City.
The two-year initiative, which runs until 2026, is funded by the ASEAN–Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund and combines science, technology, and regional collaboration to support smarter, evidence-based air quality policies across Southeast Asia.
“By bringing together scientific research and international teamwork, the CASA project will create better data and monitoring systems, laying the groundwork for evidence-based policies,” Caancan said.
As part of the partnership, South Korea also turned over two state-of-the-art air quality monitoring units capable of measuring fine particulate matter and ground-level ozone. The equipment, to be installed in Pasay City and Quezon City, will expand the Philippines’ real-time monitoring capacity and enhance regional air quality platforms.
Korean Embassy Counselor Jung Hyun-jung said the CASA project will “identify the sources and health impacts of air pollution, strengthen monitoring systems, and develop effective policy responses,” ultimately improving quality of life and public health in the ASEAN region.