CEBU CITY, Philippines—Wear dust masks or eye goggles to protect yourself from air pollutants.
This is the advice of the Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) to the public after confirming that Metro Cebu is currently experiencing hazy weather condition caused by the forest fire in Indonesia.
In a public advisory, EMB-7 said that the haze is enhanced by Hanging Habagat, or the southwest monsoon.
“Haze caused by forest fires can cause air pollution, which can bring about health risks for respiratory tract infections and cardiac ailments,” the advisory reads.
The Bureau conducted real-time monitoring and found out that Particulate Matter 2.5 “showed a reading of 56 micrograms per normal cubic meter” as of 8 a.m. on Wednesday, September 18, 2019.
This level is above the safe guideline value of 50 micrograms per normal cubic meter.
PM 2.5 is a particulate matter or a dust particle measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter.
It is about three percent the diameter of a human hair.
“Since they are so small and light, PM 2.5 tend to stay longer in the air than heavier particles,” said EMB-7.
The advisory explained that this increases the chances of humans and animals inhaling them into the bodies and might bypass the nose and throat and penetrate deep into the lungs.
Some may even enter the circulatory system.
The Bureau advised the public to stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed.
“Do not jog or run outside as the body ingests more pollutants when active,” the advisory reads. /bmjo