BAGUIO CITY — The University of the Philippines-Baguio declared Wednesdays "car-less" day inside its campus, a program that aims to help improve air quality in this city.

Last December, the Environmental Management Bureau-Cordillera noted that the air quality here is rated fair, adding that the main cause of air pollution is smoke emitting from vehicles.

"Sana gawin iyong car-less day isang beses sa isang buwan sa public institutions or private institutions sa Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, Tublay (BLISTT). Alam namin na susunod ang mga tao dahil naniniwala sila sa ating advocacy," UP Baguio Chancellor Dr. Raymundo Rovillos said.

In April, the BLISTT Airshed Governing Board passed a resolution addressing the local government units to adopt a car-less day in their respective areas.

"Nung nilabas lang natin itong resolution na ito, may mga concern lang for example ang akala nila ang buong stretch ng Session Road or La Trinidad gagawing car-less," EMB regional director Reynaldo Digamo said.

"Pero di pwede kasi diyan naka-locate ang mga government agencies like iyong hospital. So naklaro natin na only a segment of the road and not the entire stretch of it. "

UP Baguio and nongovernment organization Glad to Be Green are also proposing to remove pedestrians and vehicles along Session Road.

"Iyong proposal ng Glad to Be Green dati is to close Session Road permanently kasi ganun din ang ginagawa sa ibang country, di lang sa mga naglalakad pati sa mga nagbibisikleta sana, para ma-decongest iyong hangin sa central business district, mas lumamig at mas gumanda iyong quality ng hangin," said Ferdy Balanag, an environmental advocate.