Metro Cebu’s air quality remained at a “very unhealthy” level on Monday afternoon, Sept. 21, 2026, with the Environmental Management Bureau 7 recording an Air Quality Index of 167.
The deteriorating air quality and lingering haze, linked to transboundary smoke from forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, prompted local governments in Cebu to suspend in-person classes and shift to remote learning.
The Environmental Management Bureau 7 advised pedestrians to avoid heavy traffic areas, vulnerable individuals to stay indoors, and the public to limit vehicle use and postpone unnecessary trips.
METRO Cebu’s air quality remained at a “very unhealthy” level Monday afternoon, although the Air Quality Index (AQI) dropped from the previous day’s readings, according to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7.
As of 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, 2026, the Metro Cebu monitoring station recorded an AQI of 167, maintaining its “very unhealthy” classification.
Under the EMB 7 advisory, pedestrians are urged to avoid heavy traffic areas, while people with heart or respiratory diseases, including asthma, should stay indoors and rest as much as possible.
Public precautions
The bureau also advised the public to postpone unnecessary trips and voluntarily limit the use of vehicles to reduce the risk of exposure to the polluted air.
Meanwhile, the EMB 7 monitoring station in Barangay Cabitoonan, Toledo City recorded an AQI of 66, classified as “fair,” as of 4 p.m. Monday.
The reading marked an improvement from Toledo’s AQI of 216 recorded at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20. EMB 7 continued to monitor ambient air quality in the region and urged residents to check official updates and air quality advisories.
Parts of Metro Cebu, including Cebu City, experienced afternoon rain Monday. The latest air quality readings came as Cebu continued to experience haze linked to transboundary smoke from forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Class suspensions
On Sunday, the Metro Cebu monitoring station recorded a peak AQI of 296 at 1 a.m., just below the 301 threshold classified as an “emergency.” The AQI later eased to 248 by 4 p.m. on the same day.
Because of the deteriorating air quality, local governments in Cebu suspended in-person classes Monday in several areas, shifting students to remote learning modalities. / CDF