Quezon City councilor seeks to curb noise pollution

By Jeannette Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines -- A Quezon City councilor is seeking the passage of an ordinance to curb noise pollution in the locality by establishing standards of sound quality for a less stressful city.

A bill introduced by District 1 Councilor Dorothy Delarmente, a physician, says that the emission of noise “beyond human hearing tolerance produced by commercial, industrial and construction activities and/or from other sources can cause hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure, sleep loss, distraction and lost productivity.”

“Long-lasting, high intensity sounds are the most damaging to hearing and produce the most stress in humans,” Delarmente said to justify her proposal, which seeks to penalize noisemakers.

In proposing the ordinance, the councilor said the city needed to “set standards for a comprehensive policy and program for sound quality management and prevention and control of noise pollution in order to achieve and maintain healthy ambient sound quality for all.”

The proposed ordinance prohibits a person from constructing or operating or taking part in any activity which would “result in ambient noise level greater than the ambient standards.”

“Neither shall (any person) emit or cause or suffer to be emitted noise greater in volume , intensity or quality than the levels prescribed for tolerant noise without first obtaining a clearance from the city,” the proposed ordinance reads.

Prohibited acts in the proposed law include:

• Operation of sound reproduction devices to attract attention to any performance, show, sale, display or merchandise in front of any business establishment adjacent to a public street, park or place or in any public conveyance except when the device is used to signal imminent danger

• Allowing an animal or pet, including birds under a person’s control to cause unnecessary noise

• Engaging or permitting any person to be engaged in construction, commercial and industrial activities where excessive noise is created except when the purpose is to avert disaster or to prevent danger to human life

The ordinance also aims to designate noise-sensitive zones in the city where no one is allowed to make unnecessary noise as well as a schedule for allowable decibels in any period of the day. Noise will be measured through a sound level meter.

An inspection team will be designated to monitor the noise levels where violators may be fined P1,000 for a first offense, P3,000 for a second; and P5,000 for a third.

Refusal to pay shall authorize the head of the inspection team to file criminal charges in court punishable with imprisonment of from 15 to 30 days for a first offense; 45 to 60 days for a second violation; and a 90 to 120 days for a third offense.