Poor Metro Cebu air quality caused by local pollution? Archival doubts it

Local

WITH Metro Cebu’s air quality reaching unhealthy levels, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival is questioning whether local pollution sources are the primary cause.

Archival said local emissions contribute to air pollution but may not be the biggest factor behind the deteriorating air quality.

“I would not subscribe to that entirely. I’m sure there are significant local factors, but I believe these are not the main source,” he said.

He raised the possibility that smoke from forest fires in Indonesia could be affecting Cebu, citing reports of fluctuating air quality in Singapore.

The remarks came as the Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) continued monitoring air quality in Metro Cebu, where readings shifted from very unhealthy to unhealthy for sensitive groups on Thursday, Oct. 15.

At 7 a.m., the Metro Cebu monitoring station recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 156, classified as very unhealthy. By 11 a.m., the reading had dropped to 145, classified as unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Despite the improvement, the readings indicated continuing air quality concerns, particularly for children and other vulnerable groups.

EMB-7 identified localized emission sources, primarily motor vehicles, industrial operations and area-specific activities, as the main drivers of current air quality levels.

The bureau also cited unfavorable weather conditions, particularly low ambient temperatures from nighttime to early morning, which can contribute to the suspension and trapping of fine particulate matter.

Very low wind speeds can further prevent pollutants from dispersing, allowing particulate matter to accumulate in the air.

As the situation develops, Archival said the city government was coordinating with relevant agencies and stakeholders to establish a unified response should air quality deteriorate further.

He said he had called a meeting involving the city’s disaster management and health teams, school owners and administrators, business groups, the City Health Department, the Department of Health and EMB-7.

The meeting aimed to establish a coordinated course of action for different AQI levels, including readings of 150, 180, 190 and 200.

Archival said Cebu City had been coordinating with neighboring local governments, including Mandaue City, but stressed the need for a unified approach among agencies responsible for public health, disaster response and environmental monitoring.

He said decisions on class suspensions and other protective measures were guided by recommendations from environmental and disaster management authorities, with particular attention to children and other residents vulnerable to air pollution.

The city had suspended classes amid the deteriorating air quality and was expected to determine on Thursday what measures would be implemented next.

Archival said the immediate priority was to protect public health while coordinating responses across agencies.

He also addressed concerns that residents burning household garbage could be contributing to the pollution.

Archival acknowledged that open burning occurs in the city but disputed the suggestion that it was happening on a scale sufficient to explain the current air quality situation.

“Open burning has been happening for a long time, but not this much,” he said.

He added that the city had directed the Cebu City Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team to monitor open burning, which residents can report when they observe it in their neighborhoods.(TGP)