Parts of Cebu reached "very unhealthy" air quality levels on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, as smoke and haze from forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, drifted across the region via habagat winds.
Environmental Management Bureau 7 recorded Air Quality Index readings at its Talisay monitoring station rising steadily to 152 at 6:00 AM, 172 at 12:00 PM, and 173 at 3:00 PM.
Talisay City Mayor SamSam Gullas sought clarification from EMB 7 regarding guidelines for issuing statements and activity suspensions, noting readings reflect the entire Metro Cebu area rather than Talisay alone.
PARTS of Cebu reached "very unhealthy" air quality levels on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, as smoke and haze from forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, drifted across the region. Health authorities are advising residents to limit time spent outdoors as monsoon winds continue to carry the pollutants into the Philippines.
Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7 air quality monitoring specialist Arthur Niño Calupig explained that the poor air quality is caused by pollutants from the Indonesian fires being pushed toward the country by the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat.
“As long as magpadayon pa ang activity didto (forest fires) dayon considering the predominant winds na habagat so maapektaran ra gihapon ta. Wa ta kahibaw kanusa ni kutob na panghitabo,” Calupig said.
(As long as the activity continues, and considering that the prevailing winds are from the habagat, we will continue to be affected. We do not know when this situation will end.)
Hot and dry conditions have caused forest fires to spread across parts of Kalimantan, creating thick smoke and haze that has spread to neighboring countries.
According to EMB 7, the Air Quality Index (AQI) recorded at its Talisay monitoring station rose steadily throughout the day on Tuesday: 6:00 AM: 152, 12:00 PM: 172, and 3:00 PM: 173.
Any AQI reading between 151 and 200 is classified as “Very Unhealthy.”
Calupig noted that the haze carries fine particulate matter, including PM2.5, which moves across borders. Although the high reading was recorded in Talisay, poor air quality is not limited to that area. Depending on wind speed and direction, pollutants could spread across Metro Cebu and drift toward the Camotes Islands and Eastern Visayas.
Rain could help clear the atmosphere, but dry weather will allow the fine particles to stay suspended and spread further. Calupig explained that unlike ashfall from Mount Kanlaon, which consists of larger particles, the fine smoke particles in this haze stay in the air much longer.
This event mirrors a similar haze episode in October 2015, when severe Indonesian forest fires also brought smoke to Metro Cebu via habagat winds.
EMB clarification
Talisay City Mayor SamSam Gullas, meanwhile, sought clarification from EMB 7 on the guidelines regarding issuance of statements about AQI monitoring.
“I also want to clarify that while the monitoring station is located in Talisay, the reading is intended to reflect the air quality of the whole Metro Cebu area. So if the recommendation is to suspend activities based on that reading, then it should logically apply across Metro Cebu and not to Talisay alone,” Gullas said in a Facebook post.
Gullas said, EMB have no specific guidelines on when suspensions should be implemented.
“I have already expressed all my concerns regarding the issuance of such pronouncements without clear guidelines, particularly on what specific data, level, or threshold should serve as the basis for suspension,” Gullas added.
With air quality reaching unsafe levels, EMB 7 has teamed up with the Office of Civil Defense 7 to step up real-time tracking across Cebu.
"Continuous real-time ambient monitoring is ongoing across strategic locations in Cebu to track hourly concentration trends," EMB 7 stated.
EMB 7 is also coordinating with the Department of Education, the Department of Health (DOH), and other local agencies. Calupig mentioned that authorities may recommend suspending school classes if PM2.5 levels continue to rise.
The DOH Central Visayas is urging residents to take steps to protect their health while PM2.5 levels remain high.
Recommended Precautions:
Limit outdoor activities: Children, senior citizens, and people with respiratory conditions should avoid spending extended time outside.
Wear protective masks: Wear an N95 or KN95 mask if you need to go outdoors.
Seek medical help: Visit a doctor or health facility immediately if you experience severe coughing or difficulty breathing.
Regional health facilities are prepared to care for patients affected by the haze. Authorities will continue monitoring weather patterns and pollutant levels to update the public as conditions change. /DPC