In celebration of the 31st International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Philippine Ozone Desk (POD) of the Environmental Management Bureau held a Technical Forum on the Promotion of Alternative Substances and Natural Refrigerants for the Ozone Layer and Climate Protection on September 14, 2018 at the Sequoia Hotel located at Mother Ignacia Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City. The forum was participated by almost 100 participants.

This year’s theme is Keep Cool and Carry On! The Montreal Protocol. It is a rallying call to carry on with the exemplary work of protecting the ozone layer and the climate under the Montreal Protocol. The theme has two connotations – that our work of protecting the ozone layer also protects climate and that the Montreal Protocol is a “cool” treaty, as exemplified by its outstanding success.

The forum was attended by DENR Undersecretary Jonas R. Leones, and POD Program Manager Joe Amil M. Salino. Discussed during the forum is the Philippine’s commitment to the Montreal Protocol and the implementation status of the ODS phase-out program.

One of the highlights of the said event is the recognition of Maria Yzabell Angel V. Palma, the inventor of the AirDisc Technology. The technology uses air as a cooling medium that effectively substitutes Freon as refrigerants in AC units.

POD Program Manager, Joe Amil M. Salino also discussed the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. The Kigali Amendment will enter into force on January 1, 2019, effectively phasing down the use of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by more than 80 percent over the next 30 years and replace them with more ozone friendly alternatives. This Amendment was adopted by the 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on October 15, 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda.

Included in the session were discussions on Labeling Program for Air conditioning and Refrigerating Appliances by Engr. Isagani Soriano of the Department of Energy, Adoption of ISO 5149 Standards by Engr. Oliver Desamito of Department of Trade and Industry, and a project presentation on Cool Contributions Fighting Climate Change (C4) by Mr. Rolando Abad of the EMB Climate Change Division. Various representatives from the private sectors also presented the different technologies in air conditioning, refrigeration, ammonia technology, and foam manufacturing.

The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty that aims to reduce and regulate the production and use of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) that contribute to the depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer.

The efforts from 197 countries that ratified the protocol resulted to nearly 100 percent reduced production and importation of controlled ozone-depleting chemicals. Elimination of ODS under the Montreal Protocol has reduced greenhouse gases, averting more than 135 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent into the atmosphere by simply phasing out ODS