The Philippines ranked 74th out of 138 countries in IQAir’s 2024 World Air Quality Report following a decline in air quality from 2023.
One of six pollutants that classify air quality, PM2.5 indicates the amount of fine PM floating in the air up to 2.5 microns in diameter, which is measured in micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m³).
PH reached a 14.8 μg/m³ average of PM2.5 in 2024, up from 13.5 µg/m³ in 2023. This suggests a 10 percent decrease in air quality spanning one year.
“PM2.5 is so small it can be absorbed into the bloodstream upon inhalation. For this reason, it is typically the pollutant posing the greatest health threat,” the Swiss air quality research company said.
Carmona, Cavite topped as the country’s cleanest city at 5.5 μg/m³, while Pasig City was named the dirtiest at 13.3 μg/m³.
Similar to 2023, the country’s cleanest city in 2024 failed to meet the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline value of 5 µg/m3 or less.
Meanwhile, out of 138 countries, only seven met the advised guideline in the new report: Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Estonia, Grenada, Iceland, and New Zealand.
How can we help?
To help keep air clean, the research company asks people to do the following:
- Walk, bike, or take public transportation
- Support local and national air quality projects targeting pollution
- Tell your local representatives about air quality concerns
- Lower energy consumption
- Choose green alternatives over wood-burning stoves for cooking
- Repurpose waste and buy less
To advance globally against air pollution, governments are urged to:
- Support infrastructure initiatives promoting pedestrian traffic
- Toughen emission limits for vehicles and industrial activities
- Include WHO air quality guidelines in future standards
- Commit to decarbonization
- Expand clean and renewable energy in public transportation
- Develop incentive programs to promote clean-air vehicles
- Prohibit agricultural and biomass burning
- Foster innovative ways to address local air quality issues
Photo from Unsplash