Talisay City Mayor Samsam Gullas is asking the Environmental Management Bureau Central Visayas (EMB 7) to clarify what specific air-quality readings should trigger the suspension of activities as haze from Indonesian forest fires continues to affect Cebu.
Gullas raised the issue after EMB 7’s monitoring station in Talisay recorded “very unhealthy” Air Quality Index (AQI) levels on Tuesday, Sept. 1, amid smoke and haze carried toward Cebu by southwest monsoon or habagat winds.
“I have already expressed all my concerns regarding the issuance of such pronouncements without clear guidelines, particularly on what specific data, level, or threshold should serve as the basis for suspension,” Gullas said.
He said he had discussed the matter with the EMB regional director, who told him the agency was still determining the appropriate measures and basis for possible suspensions.
Gullas also questioned whether any suspension should be limited to Talisay when the monitoring station’s readings are meant to represent air quality across Metro Cebu.
“I also want to clarify that while the monitoring station is located in Talisay, the reading is intended to reflect the air quality of the whole Metro Cebu area. So if the recommendation is to suspend activities based on that reading, then it should logically apply across Metro Cebu and not to Talisay alone,” Gullas said.
EMB 7 recorded an AQI of 152 at 6 a.m., 172 at noon and 173 at 3 p.m. Tuesday. Readings from 151 to 200 fall under the “very unhealthy” category.
The bureau attributed the worsening air quality to pollutants from forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, which are being transported toward the Philippines by the habagat.
EMB 7 air quality monitoring specialist Arthur Niño Calupig said the duration of the haze remains uncertain because the fires and prevailing wind conditions are continuing.
The haze contains fine particulate matter, including PM2.5, which can stay suspended in the air and be transported across areas depending on wind speed and direction.
While the monitoring station is in Talisay, Calupig said the pollutants could affect other parts of Metro Cebu and potentially reach the Camotes Islands and Eastern Visayas.
Rainfall could help remove suspended particles from the atmosphere, while continued dry conditions could allow them to remain airborne for longer periods.
The current episode is similar to an October 2015 incident when smoke from Indonesian forest fires also reached Metro Cebu through habagat winds.
EMB 7 and the Office of Civil Defense 7 are conducting continuous real-time monitoring at strategic locations in Cebu to track hourly pollutant concentrations.
The bureau is also coordinating with the Department of Education, Department of Health and other local agencies. Calupig said authorities may recommend the suspension of classes if PM2.5 levels continue to increase.
The Department of Health Central Visayas, meanwhile, advised residents to limit outdoor activities, particularly children, senior citizens and people with respiratory conditions.
Those who need to go outdoors were advised to use N95 or KN95 masks and seek medical attention if they develop severe coughing or difficulty breathing.
Gullas said he would continue providing updates once EMB 7 issues clearer guidance on the appropriate response to the air-quality readings.
Photo courtesy of Talisay City PIO
Comments