UP Diliman acquires its own Opacimeter

Last 31 January 2020, UP Diliman received its own Opacimeter donated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB). The machine, officially turned over to the University by Engr. Jundy del Socorro, Officer-in-Charge of DENR-EMB’s Air Quality Management Section, was received by Atty. John S. Baroña, Acting Director of the UP Diliman Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO). 

DENR-EMB donated one (1) unit of MRU OpTrans 1600, a portable smoke opacity emission analyzer. According to www.mru.eu, the opacimeter is a “smoke density measuring device… [which] allows a continuous smoke density measurement of all performance class Diesel engines.” This device shall help the University ensure that the PUJs plying within the campus are compliant to Republic Act No. 8749, otherwise known as the Philippine Clean Air Act. 

According to SP/Sgt. Jaime Marquina, Team Leader of the UP Diliman Transport Management and Enforcement Team (UPDP-TMET), the opacimeter shall be a significant help during the annual PUJ inspection. Before the donation, a team from the DENR-EMB comes to the University to conduct the smoke emission testing of the PUJs during the same. With the same donation, UPDP-TMET will be able to conduct the said test on their own.

In addition to the annual PUJ inspection, SP/Sgt. Marquina claimed that the opacimeter shall help them in the validation of smoke belching complaints received by their team. He explained that, unfortunately, only deputized traffic enforcers can apprehend the smoke belchers. 

DENR-EMB shall also provide training and other technical assistance to the University as part of the Memorandum of Agreement between the two parties. The training for the use of equipment and its operation is scheduled on 19 February 2020.

Thanks to the efforts of SP/Sgt. Marquina and SP/Sgt. Wilfredo Desierto Jr., the University was granted its own opacimeter which shall be used by the newly established UP Diliman Transportation Management Office in monitoring and enforcing the University’s policies in maintaining an environmental friendly and safe campus for everyone.