With Metro Cebu’s air quality still classified as “Very Unhealthy,” Cebu City is considering directing barangays to intensify enforcement against open burning and other pollution sources within their communities.
Office-in-charge Public Information Officer Jesson Morata said the city is studying a directive that would require barangays to strictly enforce anti-open burning laws and monitor local activities contributing to air pollution.
The proposed measure would also strengthen waste management by ensuring that materials recovery facilities (MRFs) remain operational and garbage collection runs regularly, reducing the need for residents to burn household waste.
The plan follows the Environmental Management Bureau Region VII’s (EMB 7) assessment that local emissions, combined with unfavorable weather conditions, are driving Metro Cebu’s current air quality problems rather than pollution from Indonesian forest fires.
Morata said the city could not simply suspend economic activities to address the haze, making barangay-level efforts to control emissions an important intervention.
At 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14, the Metro Cebu monitoring station recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 181, still within the “Very Unhealthy” category. The reading had declined slightly from 190 at 7 a.m., but the improvement did not change the overall classification.
EMB 7 identified motor vehicle emissions, industrial operations and other location-specific activities as major contributors to the current pollution levels.
The bureau also attributed the accumulation of fine particulate matter to low temperatures from nighttime to early morning and very low wind speeds, which limit the dispersal of pollutants.
It warned that elevated concentrations of PM2.5, or fine inhalable particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs, could persist in the coming days if local emissions and weather conditions continue to favor pollution buildup.
Under the proposed directive, barangays would step up monitoring and enforcement against open burning, which releases smoke and harmful particles into the atmosphere. Regular garbage collection and properly maintained MRFs would also provide residents with alternatives to burning their waste.
The planned intervention would focus on pollution sources local authorities can directly control while broader weather conditions continue to hinder air quality improvement.
Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival urged students to continue learning at home while classes remain suspended because of unhealthy air quality or adverse weather conditions.
In a statement, Archival encouraged learners to review their lessons, read books, complete assignments and pursue other educational activities while prioritizing their health and safety.
EMB 7 has advised people with respiratory conditions, including asthma, to limit strenuous outdoor activities and continue monitoring official air quality updates as conditions may change.
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