Strengthening Environmental Stewardship. Environmental Management Bureau Davao Region Director Alnulfo Alvarez (Center Left), alongside Safety, Health, and Environment Manager Earl Joey Liquit (Center Right), Nimfa Alipan of DENR-PENRO Davao del Sur (left), and Mary Ann Guillena of LGU Digos City, Davao del Sur, spearheaded the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAMS) in Digos City, Davao del Sur, on June 22, 2026.
DIGOS CITY, DAVAO DEL SUR — In a major boost to regional environmental sustainability, Therma South, Inc. (TSI) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) Region XI officially launched the province’s first Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAMS) during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Davao del Sur PENRO compound.
The public-private partnership activates round-the-clock, real-time air quality tracking to empower local data-driven environmental planning and pave the way for Digos City’s designation as a recognized airshed management area.
With the facility’s activation, 24/7 monitoring within a 4-kilometer radius of strategic areas in Digos City. The station is equipped to track fine dust and airborne particles, generating critical baseline data to be used for environmental planning and decision-making at both the local and national levels.
DENR-EMB Region XI Regional Director Alnulfo Alvarez lauded the private sector’s proactive role in supporting local environmental preservation, emphasizing that public-private synergies are crucial in advancing Digos City’s proposed designation as part of an airshed management area.
“We are proposing Digos City as an airshed. In Region XI, Davao City is currently the only designated airshed. Digos City is poised to be the next, followed by Tagum City and Mati City. Our partnership empowers policymakers, stakeholders, and communities to craft responsive ordinances, programs, and interventions that address current and future environmental challenges,” EMB-XI Director Alvarez said.
The official establishment of an airshed will lead to the creation of an Airshed Governing Board, which will oversee a more systematic approach to air quality management in the locality. As a key partner, TSI aims to utilize this platform to foster knowledge-sharing and scale best practices for effective environmental management across the region.
“Ever since Therma South began operations, we have remained committed to protecting the environment beyond our role as a power generator. We value this collaboration and look forward to further enhancing this technology to expand its benefits and better serve our communities,” said TSI SHE Manager Earl Joey Liquit.
The initiative is part of the Adopt-an-Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station Program, a framework under which TSI will continue to support the long-term implementation and sustainability of the facility. This partnership directly advances efforts to reduce air pollutants and build sustainable, climate-resilient cities.
