The Philippines and South Korea recently signed a memorandum of Understanding for the Clean Air for Sustainable ASEAN (CASA) Cooperation Project for implementation from 2025 to 2026.
Signing the agreement in Pasay City were Assistant Secretary for Environment and concurrent director of the Department of Environment and Natutral Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Jacqueline A. Caancan and the Principal Investigator of CASA and Seoul National University (SNU) Graduate School of Public Health professor Kiyoung Lee.
The CASA Project is an initiative funded by the ASEAN–Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund and launched in January 2023.
The project aims to empower member states of the Association of Southeast Nations with the tools and expertise to build robust air quality management systems by providing both advanced equipment and capacity-building programs.
“By bringing together scientific research and international teamwork, the CASA Project, a partnership between the EMB and Seoul National University, will create better data and monitoring systems, laying the groundwork for smarter, evidence-based policies,” Caancan said.
Underscoring the importance of collaboration in addressing transboundary air quality concern, Caancan said the historic agreement brings the Philippines and South Korea closer to a common goal of cleaner air, healthier communities and stronger communities that can withstand the current environmental challenges.
“This partnership strengthens our nations’ bonds and represents a shared dedication to environmental protection, making a meaningful contribution to regional sustainability efforts across the ASEAN Region,” she said. DENR News
The event was also marked by the official handover of two state-of-the-art air quality monitoring equipment from Korea to the Philippines.
One unit will be installed in the Air Quality Monitoring Station (AQMS) in Pasay City and the other in Quezon City.
The equipment can measure PM2.5 and O₃, and expands the AQMS capacity to capture real-time data linked to national and regional air quality monitoring platforms.
These data on key pollutants are vital to developing evidence-based environmental policies and targeted interventions. The upgraded AQMS reinforces the Philippines’ commitment to protect public health and promote sustainable air quality management. DENR News
