Air pollution spreads to more Cebu areas

CEBU CITY, Philippines — More local government units in Metro Cebu suspended in-person classes on Monday, Oct. 12, after air quality deteriorated to “very unhealthy” levels once again. 

But this time, local pollutants such as vehicle emissions and industrial pollution, and not the transboundary haze from the raging forest and peat fires in Indonesia’s Kalimantan region, have been identified as the main sources, the Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) said.

The air quality index (AQI) in Metro Cebu reached 180 on Sunday, Oct. 11, prompting the suspension of in-person classes and the shift to alternative learning delivery modes, including online and asynchronous classes.

Article continues after this advertisement

The suspension covered all levels, including college, in public and private schools in Cebu City, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and Talisay cities, as well as the municipalities of Compostela, Consolacion, Liloan and Minglanilla. 

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

READ: Not Indonesian haze: What’s making Metro Cebu’s air quality ‘very unhealthy’?

“This precautionary measure aims to protect the health and safety of our students, teachers, and school personnel amid unhealthy air quality,” Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said.

The AQI improved to 140 on Monday afternoon, falling under the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category.

However, people with existing respiratory conditions were still advised to limit outdoor activities, as exposure to air pollutants could aggravate their symptoms.

Article continues after this advertisement

EMB-7 said the latest deterioration in air quality was attributed to local pollution sources, including vehicle emissions and industrial output. The agency said it had not detected signs of transboundary haze, which contributed to air pollution in previous months.

The prevailing northeast monsoon, locally known as amihan, has also contributed to the poor air quality, the agency said.

Article continues after this advertisement

Cooler temperatures, particularly at night and in the early morning, can hinder the dispersion of pollutants and allow fine particulate matter to remain suspended in the air, EMB-7 explained.

“These impact levels are further intensified by unfavorable weather conditions, particularly low ambient temperatures from nighttime to early morning, which enhance the atmospheric suspension and trapping of fine particulate matter,” the agency said. /das