MANILA — Air quality has slightly improved in Metro Manila after hazardous haze blanketed the capital earlier this week, but weather experts warn the pollution could continue affecting different parts of the country as long as forest fires in Indonesia keep burning.
The haze, which originated from widespread forest fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra, has been carried into the Philippines by the southwest monsoon or Habagat.
While Metro Manila is no longer experiencing the worst air quality recorded a day earlier, state weather bureau PAGASA says the haze is now shifting farther south, affecting other parts of the country.
Speaking to ABS-CBN News, PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja, the changing position of the southwest monsoon has altered where the smoke is being transported.
Earlier this week, the Habagat was "highly inclined," allowing the haze to spread as far north as Palawan and mainland Luzon.
Public urged to stay indoors, mask up as haze persists in parts of PH
Over the past two days, however, the wind pattern has gradually shifted.
"Medyo bumaba na yung direction ng haze natin... Mas nakatutok na siya dito sa may parteng Palawan and the western sections of Visayas and Mindanao... Humihiga na rin yung southwesterly winds," Estareja explained.
In practical terms, this means the smoke is no longer concentrated over Metro Manila alone. Instead, it is increasingly affecting western sections of the Visayas and Mindanao as the southwest winds change direction.
METRO MANILA IMPROVES BUT HEALTH RISKS REMAIN
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported that air quality in Metro Manila improved from Acutely Unhealthy levels recorded the previous day.
Despite the improvement, pollution levels remain unhealthy for sensitive groups, including senior citizens, children, pregnant women, and people with asthma, chronic lung disease or cardiovascular conditions.
Health authorities continue to advise wearing face masks outdoors and limiting prolonged exposure whenever air quality deteriorates.
For many outdoor workers, however, those precautions are easier said than done.
Mary Clair Clarito, a metro aide who spends hours sweeping streets under the sun, said wearing a face mask throughout her shift is difficult.
"Sabi nga ng anak ko mag-facemask daw. Nahihirapan nga akong huminga... Patibayan na lang ng baga.”
For another metro aide, Merlita Saludo, the effects of the haze became apparent at home.
She said both she and her grandchildren began coughing even though there was no obvious source of smoke nearby.
"Naobserbahan ko kasi yung dalawang apo ko. Wala namang katol pero tumatahol. Pati ako tumatahol na nga rin. Hindi naman ako nagsiga pero bakit ganon yung amoy?”
Her experience reflects what many residents noticed as the haze settled over Metro Manila—an unusual smoky smell and respiratory irritation despite the absence of nearby fires.
OTHER PROVINCES NOW SEEING HAZE
As the winds shifted, haze also became visible in other parts of the country.
Residents in Panay Island, particularly in Miag-ao, Iloilo, as well as parts of Aklan and Antique, reported hazy skies.
In the Davao Region, the DENR recorded increased concentrations of PM2.5, the fine particulate matter most associated with health risks.
Meanwhile, residents in Laoang, Northern Samar, also observed smoke-like conditions along the coastline beginning earlier this week.
These observations are consistent with PAGASA's analysis that the haze is gradually moving southward with the prevailing monsoon winds.
WHY HAZE MAY NOT DISAPPEAR SOON
According to Estareja, the biggest factor determining how long the haze persists is not local weather alone, but whether the forest fires in Indonesia can be brought under control.
As long as the wildfires continue and the southwest monsoon remains the country's dominant weather system, smoke can continue crossing national borders.
"Kung magpatuloy yung wildfires sa Indonesia, meron pa namang southwest monsoon, so posible pa rin magkaroon ng haze given yung wind direction.”
PAGASA expects the Habagat to remain active for at least the next two weeks, meaning episodes of transboundary haze could continue depending on the intensity of the fires.
Looking further ahead, Estareja said it is still too early to make firm predictions, but by late September, the seasonal transition to the easterlies could begin.
If that happens, winds would reverse direction, potentially steering the smoke away from the Philippines and toward Indochina.
Until then, experts are urging the public to monitor air quality advisories, especially vulnerable groups, as the country's exposure to transboundary haze remains closely tied to both weather patterns and the ongoing wildfire in Indonesia.