Quezon City, Las Piñas, Parañaque air quality 'acutely unhealthy' amid Indonesia haze

The air quality in Quezon City, Las Piñas, and Parañaque has been classified "acutely unhealthy" while that of 10 areas has been tagged "very unhealthy" on Tuesday night as the government warned of haze brought to the country by the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat from the fires in Indonesia.

According to the air quality monitoring report for PM 2.5 pollution by the Environmental Management Bureau in the National Capital Region, Parañaque (Don Bosco) recorded a 229 air quality index (AQI); Las Piñas, 215; and Quezon City (Ateneo), 202.

Air quality in areas with AQI ranging from 201 to 300 is considered "acutely unhealthy."

The following areas are classified as "very unhealthy" with their respective AQI:

• Makati (186)
• Malabon (192)
• Mandaluyong (162)
• Manila (185)
• Marikina [Parang] (173)
• Muntinlupa [Filinvest] (173)
• Quezon City [Commonwealth] (157)
• San Juan City (173)
• Taguig [TUP] (189)
• Valenzuela (186)

The areas classified as "unhealthy for sensitive groups" are:

• Navotas (150)
• Pateros (119)

The AQI eported by EMB, an attached agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), includes PM2.5 pollution and PM10 pollution.

PM10 is particulate matter that is about 10 micrometers in size and caused by a mix of natural and human-made (anthropogenic) sources, primarily involving dust, smoke, and industrial combustion.

Local government units earlier advised residents to wear face masks and to lessen or avoid outdoor activities.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) on Tuesday explained that the haze currently affecting parts of the country is the smoke from the Kalimantan, Indonesia forest fires being carried over by the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat.

DENR-EMB also said that the haze may last for a few days. — BAP, GMA News