Manila residents told to wear face masks amid ‘very unhealthy’ air quality

The Manila City government on Monday advised its residents anew to wear face masks amid the “very unhealthy” air quality due to the massive fire at the Navotas Sanitary Landfill.

In a post on its Facebook page on early Monday morning, the Manila City DRRM Department said its air quality sensors detected “very unhealthy” air quality in Manila and neighboring cities as of midnight of April 27.

“Base sa ating datos, possibleng dahilan pa rin ng pagbaba ng kalidad ng hangin ay ang nangyayaring sunog sa Navotas Landfill na siya namang sinasabayan ng kasalukuyang naoobserbahang hangin na papunta sa Lungsod ng Maynila at sa karatig nitong mga siyudad,” it said.

(Based on our data, a possible reason for the poor air quality is the ongoing fire at the Navotas Landfill, coupled with the winds going to Manila and nearby cities.)

The Manila City DRRM Department advised the public, especially those near Puregold Tayuman, to avoid going out of their homes if not needed.

Residents were also reminded to wear face masks as protection against the ill effects of the poor air quality.

Children, senior citizens, pregnant women, and those with respiratory illnesses like asthma were also told to stay indoors and avoid going outside.

The fire at the Navotas Sanitary Landfill is still ongoing and has burned at least 28.6 hectares as of April 21, or six days after it began.

In recent days, local government units (LGUs) in Manila advised its constituents to stay indoors as much as possible and to wear face masks amid the poor air quality due to the smoke and smog from the burning landfill. — JMA, GMA News