Dramatic Images Show Difference In Air Pollution Above Metro Manila Before And During The Long Weekend

Dramatic Images Show Difference In Air Pollution Above Metro Manila Before And During The Long Weekend

The below images tell a dramatic story of just how polluted the air above Metro Manila is at times and how much better things can be when there is less traffic and industrial activity for a few days. All three images show the same areas and were taken from near the top of the tallest building in the country, which is situated in Makati and at around 300 meters offers great views over large parts of the NCR. The top picture in each image was taken late last week, just before everyone headed out of town for the long weekend, while the bottom image was taken on Sunday afternoon. Spot the difference:

While there was a slight weather change in the time between these shots, the most stunning change is the visible difference in air pollution, caused by fewer cars and trucks being on the road and less industrial activity going on over the last few days, when many people either stayed at home or headed out of the city. I should also make it clear that there are no filters of any kind used on these images. The only difference is that the top images were taken on my cellphone, while the bottom images were taken with a DSLR. Editing was limited to resizing, adding the watermark, and combining the images into one new picture. No trickery, no photoshop, no instagram style funny business. Just a snapshot of a growing problem that affects every single person in this vast Metropolis.

It sadly isn’t unusual to see this level of air pollution above Metro Manila and I have witnessed it many times before. In fact, it’s pretty much a daily occurrence, with the weather sometimes making it better, but often making it worse. The same goes for the dramatic improvement in air quality as soon as there is a long weekend or a longer period of reduced economical activity, such as over the Christmas holidays.

Pollution is sometimes hard to see on the street level, but it is certainly there and it negatively affects everyone living and working in the nation’s capital. How to best combat this problem is a big enough question to fill many more articles and discussions, but fact is that there is much work left to be done. Some people have already started to try and make a difference on a large scale, such as the COMET electric Jeepney we featured a while ago, but there is still a long journey ahead until you can enjoy Sunday morning air on a Thursday afternoon.

Dramatic Images Show Difference In Air Pollution Above Metro Manila Before And During The Long Weekend