HAZE lingers over Metro Manila as smoke continues to billow from the contained fire at the closed Navotas City Sanitary Landfill, prompting the Environmental Management Bureau-National Capital Region to urge residents to remain cautious and wear masks against potentially harmful air pollutants.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ANALY LABOR FOR DAILY TRIBUNE
Smoke drifting from forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, has triggered hazardous air quality levels across Calabarzon, Mimaropa and some parts of Metro Manila, environmental authorities warned Tuesday.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) reported that prevailing southwest monsoon winds, known locally as habagat, are transporting fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from the Indonesian blazes into Philippine airspace.
Officials said the haze is expected to persist through 3 September.
Also, several Metro Manila cities recorded “acutely unhealthy” Air Quality Index readings on 1 September, led by Parañaque at 296, Quezon City at 241, Las Piñas at 237, and Manila at 231.
Other areas, including Malabon, Taguig, Valenzuela, Marikina, Muntinlupa, San Juan and Mandaluyong, also exceeded the 200 threshold. Navotas and Pateros logged “very unhealthy” air quality, while Makati recorded levels deemed “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
“The elevated PM2.5 may be associated with smoke and haze from ongoing fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, transported by prevailing winds toward the Philippines,” the environmental agency’s National Capital Region office said in an advisory.
Jundy del Socorro, chief of the agency’s Environmental Quality Management Division, cited that while the situation remains largely beyond local control, anticipated rainfall could help wash suspended particles from the atmosphere and improve visibility.
Air quality could gradually improve between 4 and 6 September if widespread rains continue and wind patterns shift.
The health hazards prompted immediate local responses. Ateneo de Manila University suspended onsite work at its Loyola Heights campus Tuesday afternoon, while University of the Philippines Diliman advised its community to wear well-fitting masks outdoors and seek medical care if experiencing discomfort.
Environmental officials advised the public to limit outdoor activities, wear protective masks, and take precautions as monitoring of the air quality across affected regions continues.
