There is nothing to worry about in terms of the quality of ambient air in the city and province of Iloilo, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-6) said on Thursday, Sept. 19.
Lawyer Ramar Niel V. Pascua, EMB’s Legal Section head, said Iloilo is “way below the standard total suspended particulate (TSP).”
The standard or normal TSP, according to Pascua, is 230 microgram per normal cubic meter (ug/Ncm).
He said their air quality monitoring station in Oton town recorded a TSP of 37 ug/Ncm while the La Paz station in Iloilo City registered a TSP of 57 ug/Ncm.
“Waay siya (Iloilo) kalapaw sa standard naton which means maayo aton air quality,” he said.
Pascua said they are closely monitoring the quality of air in Iloilo and other parts of Western Visayas due to the reported existence of haze from forest fires in Indonesia.
The EMB’s regional offices earlier confirmed the presence of haze in Central Visayas and SOCCSKSARGEN.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the haze is “pushed” by the Southwest monsoon or “habagat” to the country.
Despite the good quality of air in Iloilo, Pascua advised residents to take precautionary measures against the effects of haze.
“For Iloilo, tama man ka nubo pero sa iban nga may hapo nga dali maapektuhan sang air pollution gamit sila sang mask para nga mahagan-hagan ang epekto sa ila pollution,” he said. IMT
