Mayor Edward Hagedorn said the ADB grant, extended through the Poverty and Environment Program (PEP), will fund the testing of a number of strategies designed to provide alternative livelihood activities to tricycle drivers and operators to cut the growing air and noise pollution threats from the operation of tricycles in the city.

"This project will effectively stop the air and noise pollution problems threats on Puerto Princesa City that Bangkok and other cities in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia have encountered with the proliferation and uncontrolled use of tricycles and two-wheeled vehicles," Hagedorn said.

Hagedorn said the ADB initiative will develop and strengthen the technical and entrepreneurial knowledge and skills of tricycle operators and drivers on alternative livelihood opportunities.

It will also establish a fund for tricycle operators and drivers to upgrade and maintain the operational efficiency their tricycle engines to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and noise pollution.

Lessons learned from the project will significantly help in the formulation and replication of strategies that can be shared with other local government units in the country.

Puerto Princesa City enjoys the distinction of being one of the "cleanest and greenest" cities in the country and for this has become a major international tourist destination, Hagedorn said.

However, Hagedorn said that like other thriving cities in the country and Asia, it is confronted with problems of air and noise pollution primarily caused by the proliferation and uncontrolled growth of motorcycles and tricycles.

Hagedorn said that noise pollution in the city has already an alarming level at 90-97 decibels (dB). Studies revealed that prolonged exposure to noise levels at or above 80 dB can cause deafness, Hagedorn said.

Compounding this problem, Hagedorn said, is the low earning of most tricycle drivers. A survey conducted by the ADB showed that 70 percent of the drivers earn from R100 to R150, or less than $3 a day.