The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Tuesday that it is closely monitoring the air quality situation in the National Capital Region (NCR) and nearby regions due to reported haze, which it said is possibly associated with forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia.
In an advisory, the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) said it is also monitoring air quality across Central Luzon, CALABARZON, and MIMAROPA.
Based on real-time air quality data from the DENR-EMB, multiple monitoring stations in the NCR have registered Acutely Unhealthy and Very Unhealthy air quality levels.
Acutely Unhealthy air quality was recorded at monitoring stations in Las Piñas, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Manila, Marikina (Parang), Muntinlupa (Filinvest City), Parañaque (Don Bosco), Quezon City (Ateneo), San Juan, Taguig, and Valenzuela.
Meanwhile, Very Unhealthy air quality was recorded in Makati, Navotas, Pateros, and Quezon City (SMPH Commonwealth).
The agency said the observed haze is likely due to “smoke and transboundary haze from ongoing fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia,” which may have been transported toward the country by prevailing winds.
DENR-EMB said it is monitoring air quality levels through its network of air quality monitoring stations to assess the extent and potential impacts of the haze.
According to the Department of Health (DoH) on Tuesday, exposure to haze could cause difficulty breathing, cough, chest pain, watery eyes, and an itchy nose, and may worsen existing respiratory conditions such as asthma.
The DoH urged people to stay indoors as much as possible, wear N95 masks when going outdoors, and call 911 during emergencies. — Edg Adrian A. Eva
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