06/09/2026
๐ง๐ผ๐
๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ป, ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฎ, ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐
Cebu Cityโs air quality has reached the โunhealthy for sensitive groupsโ category as haze from wildfires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, was carried across the Philippines by the Habagat (southwest monsoon), according to the Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7).
As of September 6, 2026, the Metro Cebu monitoring station recorded a current Air Quality Index (AQI) of 136, down from the previous reading of 159 recorded on September 5. The decrease indicates an improvement in Cebuโs air quality amid the haze. However, despite the โunhealthy for sensitive groupsโ classification, the public is still advised to take appropriate precautions while the haze persists.
EMB-7 Regional Director Jed Ang said elevated levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) have been detected amid the haze, raising concerns over prolonged exposure to air pollution, particularly among people vulnerable to respiratory problems.
The bureau identified the phenomenon as transboundary pollution, wherein air pollutants are transported from one country to another through atmospheric movement.
The haze originating from wildfires in Kalimantan has also affected parts of Metro Manila and Central Visayas, with the Habagat serving as a pathway for the pollutants to reach the Philippines.
The movement and concentration of the haze can be influenced by environmental conditions, including wind patterns, terrain, temperature, and humidity. Ang said the haze may disperse once rainfall occurs, as precipitation can help remove particulate matter from the atmosphere.
For now, Cebu City is taking precautions as the situation remains dependent on the continuation of the wildfires in Kalimantan and the prevailing Habagat, which can continue transporting pollutants from the source.
EMB-7 has encouraged the public to wear face masks and observe safety precautions while exposed to the haze, particularly individuals with respiratory conditions such as asthma, who may be more vulnerable to the effects of air pollution.
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via Manuel Angelo Gicos
photo from Sunstar
