TACLOBAN CITY — Air quality in Tacloban and Ormoc cities, both in Leyte, remained in the “good” category from August 24 to 30, according to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) office in Eastern Visayas, despite reports of haze in parts of the Philippines.
Monitoring through established airsheds in the two cities showed that air quality levels stayed within acceptable limits throughout the week, indicating little to no health risk from air pollution.
Tacloban recorded an average particulate matter 10 (PM10) concentration of 5.71 micrograms per normal cubic meter (µg/Ncm), while Ormoc registered 6.33 µg/Ncm.
For finer particulate matter, or PM2.5, Tacloban posted an average of 3.94 µg/Ncm, compared with 3.87 µg/Ncm in Ormoc.
PM10 consists of larger airborne particles, including dust, while PM2.5 refers to much finer particles that can penetrate deeper into the respiratory system and pose greater health risks when present at elevated levels.
The EMB-8 said it continues to monitor ambient air quality across Eastern Visayas amid haze reports affecting several parts of the country.
The haze has been associated with smoke from fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, with atmospheric and wind conditions potentially carrying smoke particles across national borders. However, the monitoring results in Tacloban and Ormoc showed no deterioration in air quality during the period covered.
The EMB-8 advised the public to continue monitoring official air-quality advisories from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-EMB and other concerned agencies.
The public was also encouraged to help reduce air pollution by avoiding open burning and minimizing vehicle emissions. Tree planting and other measures that support the maintenance of clean air were likewise encouraged.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
