Cebu City is working on guidelines that would link class suspensions and other protective measures to specific Air Quality Index (AQI) readings as officials respond to worsening air pollution across Metro Cebu.
Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. said on Thursday, Oct. 15, that the city was consulting school administrators, disaster management officials, health agencies and environmental authorities to establish coordinated responses at different pollution levels.
The proposed guidelines would cover AQI readings of 150, 180, 190 and 200, with officials determining what measures, including class suspensions, should apply at each threshold.
“For now, we will have to suspend classes, and then we will have to decide today what we will do going forward,” Archival said in an interview with reporters.
Archival said the city would determine its next steps after the consultations, taking into account assessments from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), disaster management authorities and other agencies.
Cebu City is also coordinating with neighboring local governments, including Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and San Fernando, to align their responses to deteriorating air quality. Archival said a coordinated approach would help ensure that class suspensions and other protective measures rely on agency assessments rather than differing interpretations among local governments.
The mayor also raised the possibility that smoke from forest fires in Indonesia could be affecting Metro Cebu. He cited reports of high pollution readings in Singapore that acquaintances had attributed to the fires, but presented no evidence linking them to the region’s current air quality.
The Environmental Management Bureau Region VII (EMB 7), meanwhile, identified localized emissions from motor vehicles, industrial operations and other area-specific activities as the main drivers of Metro Cebu’s current pollution.
The bureau also cited weather conditions that can trap pollutants near the ground, including low temperatures from nighttime to early morning and very low wind speeds that limit the dispersal of fine particulate matter.
Air quality readings in Metro Cebu fluctuated on Thursday. The monitoring station recorded an AQI of 156 at 7 a.m., classified as “Very Unhealthy,” before the reading fell to 140 by 4 p.m., classified as “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.”
Despite the lower afternoon reading, PM2.5, or fine inhalable particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs, remained a concern, particularly for people with respiratory conditions.
The city is also considering stricter enforcement against open burning and improvements in barangay waste management to address local sources of pollution.
Office-in-Charge Public Information Officer Jesson Morata earlier said the city was looking into directing barangays to enforce anti-open burning laws, ensure regular garbage collection and keep materials recovery facilities operational. Burning household waste releases smoke and harmful particles into the air.
Archival has also encouraged students to continue learning at home during class suspensions caused by unhealthy air quality or adverse weather. He urged learners to review their lessons, read books and complete assignments while prioritizing their health and safety.
The EMB has advised people with respiratory conditions, including asthma, to limit strenuous outdoor activities and monitor official air quality updates as pollution levels change.
Photo courtesy of Nestor Archival / Facebook
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