Air quality improves in several Metro Manila areas amid haze from Indonesia

Concentrations of particulate matter (PM) 2.5 have declined as air quality levels in several Metro Manila cities improved on Wednesday morning, September 2.

According to the latest monitoring by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) as of 11 a.m., the air quality in the following stations is deemed "good":

• Caloocan (University of the East)
• Mandaluyong
• Muntinlupa (Filinvest City)
• Parañaque (PEATC)
• Pasay
• Pateros

Meanwhile, the air quality in other stations are deemed "fair":

• Las Piñas
• Malabon City
• Manila
• Marikina (Parang)
• Muntinlupa (Bilibid)
• Navotas
• Parañaque (Don Bosco)
• Quezon City (Ateneo)
• Quezon City (SMPH Commonwealth)
• San Juan City
• Taguig (TUP)
• Valenzuela

On Monday, several stations in the capital region recorded "very unhealthy" and "acutely unhealthy" air quality levels.

The DENR-EMB said it is also monitoring the air quality situation in Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, and Central Visayas.

"The observed haze is possibly associated with smoke and transboundary haze from ongoing fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, which may have been transported towards the Philippines by prevailing winds," the agency added.

The DENR-EMB earlier said that haze may continue to affects parts of the country until September 3. But the air quality could improve between September 4 to 6 "if rainfall remains widespread and wind patterns begin to shift." — LA, GMA News