Air quality remains fair as AQI reaches 98

AIR quality in Metro Cebu remained “fair” Thursday afternoon, Sept. 24, 2026, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaching 98 as of 4 p.m., according to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7.

The latest reading was higher than the 86 recorded at 11 a.m. and the 81 logged at 7 a.m. Thursday, indicating a gradual deterioration in air quality during the day.

Despite the rise, the Metro Cebu reading remained within the fair classification.

In contrast, the EMB 7 monitoring station in Barangay Cabitoonan, Toledo City, recorded an AQI of 27 at 4 p.m., classified as good.

The Toledo City station had earlier recorded AQI readings of 29 to 30, also within the good range, indicating better air quality at the Toledo monitoring station than in Metro Cebu.

The relatively improved air quality in Metro Cebu compared with earlier elevated readings comes amid continuing haze that has affected Metro Cebu and parts of the country since the start of September. Air quality levels have at times reached “Very Unhealthy” to “Acutely Unhealthy” levels.

Smoke and pollutants from fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, have been monitored as a contributor to deteriorating air quality in parts of the Philippines, the EMB said. Prevailing winds and atmospheric conditions can carry smoke and fine particles across borders, although local air quality may also be affected by sources within Metro Cebu.

Authorities continue to monitor air quality conditions as haze levels fluctuate depending on weather patterns, wind direction and the presence of smoke and other pollutants in the atmosphere. / DPC