ENVIRONMENTAL authorities advised vulnerable groups in specific communities across Digos and Calinan to wear face masks as fine particle pollution linked to transboundary haze from Indonesia escalated local air quality to "Very Unhealthy" levels.
In an updated report on Sept. 8, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-Davao) reported an increase in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations across both Digos and Calinan stations, attributing the spike to smoke transported from Indonesian forest fires. For PM10, or coarse particulate matter such as dust and pollen, Digos recorded "Fair" conditions while Calinan registered "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups."
Later that afternoon, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) issued emergency mobile alerts advising the public to avoid prolonged outdoor exposure and wear N95 or equivalent face masks. The agency also warned motorists to exercise caution on the road by slowing down, using headlights, and keeping face masks on if vehicle windows are open.
Earlier, the Davao City Health Office (CHO) urged residents, particularly pregnant women, senior citizens, infants, and individuals with underlying heart and lung conditions, to limit non-essential outdoor exposure.
Davao CHO District Health Physician Dr. Jeannie Marie Salmasan told the Davao City Information Office (CIO) that while air quality is not ideal, conditions have not reached levels that warrant panic or panic-buying of masks.
"Dili lang ta mag-panic because the level of air quality, although not the air quality that we want right now, dili pa pod siya that level nga grabe gyud ka alarming na mag panic buying ta og mga masks," Salmasan said. (Let us not panic because the level of air quality, although not what we want right now, is not at a level that is so alarming that we need to panic-buy masks.)
However, she cautioned against complacency, emphasizing that haze can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation or trigger asthma even if symptoms are not immediately felt, while advising residents experiencing haze-related symptoms to visit their nearest district or barangay health centers for evaluation.
The latest update follows statements from EMB-Davao Environmental Monitoring and Enforcement Division Chief Miralou Blanco, who noted during the Kapehan sa Dabaw forum on Monday, September 7, that the Air Quality Index (AQI) in Calinan reached unhealthy levels, advising high-risk individuals to take precautions.
Blanco said, "So siguro sila ang atoang maingnan jud na wear N95 mask whenever you go out, or any appropriate na mask that you could wear." (So they are really the ones we can advise to wear an N95 mask whenever they go out, or any appropriate mask that they can wear.)
Clarifying the agency's reporting capabilities, Blanco explained that while EMB-Davao provides real-time air quality updates, it does not issue predictive air quality forecasts.
"With our equipment, what we have is real-time monitoring. We do not do forecasting, but we could somehow determine the air dispersion based on prevailing wind direction," Blanco said.
Addressing concerns over localized forest fires in Macambol, City of Mati, and Pantukan, Davao de Oro, Blanco stated that EMB-Davao personnel collected 24-hour samples in those areas and will publish the results once the data is processed.
Due to elevated PM2.5 levels and high daily ambient temperatures, Blanco urged senior citizens, children, and individuals with underlying health conditions to take precautions.
"To the general public, especially with our AQI for PM2.5 na (that is) unhealthy for sensitive group, as much as possible, indoor lang atong mga activities (let’s only have indoor activities)," Blanco said. "Every time we go out, let us wear a mask and ensure that we are well hydrated."
Beyond its automated network, EMB-Davao conducts quarterly manual monitoring across unautomated areas and 17 undisclosed strategic sites selected based on criteria such as high foot traffic and clear wind flow.
In total, the agency oversees eight continuous stations across the region, including Tagum, Calinan, Digos, and Malita, though only Digos and Calinan are currently transmitting active PM2.5 data. GRS
