11 cities in PH included in list with cleanest air in Southeast Asia — report

The Philippines, meanwhile, landed on the 48th spot among the 73 countries in the study with the highest PM2.5 concentration. (Photo: Luca Bucken/Unsplash)

Of all 15 cities which have the cleanest air in Southeast Asia, 11 of them are in the Philippines, according to a report by Switzerland-based IQ AirVisual and Greenpeace.

In its 2018 Air Quality Report, cleanliness of the air is measured in the amount of fine particulate matter or PM2.5.

“PM2.5 refers to particulate matter (ambient airborne particles) which measure up to 2.5 microns in size, and has a range of chemical makeups and sources. PM2.5 is widely regarded as the pollutant with the most health impact of all commonly measured air pollutants.,” the report read.

“Due to its small size PM2.5 is able to penetrate deep into the human respiratory system and from there to the entire body, causing a wide range of short- and long-term health effects,” it added.

This particulate matter, the report stressed, usually comes from combustion from vehicle engines, industry, wood, and coal burning, and through other pollutant reacting in the atmosphere.

Topping the list of the cities that have the cleanest air is Calamba City in Laguna with an average of 9.

3 µg/m³ of PM2.5.

Valenzuela City got the second spot with an average of 9.9 µg/m³ of PM2.5, then Carmona City as third runner-up with 10.9 µg/m³ of PM2.5.

Other Philippine cities which are included are as follows: Parañaque City (12.2 µg/m³), Davao City (12.2 µg/m³), Makati City (13.7 µg/m³), Manila City (14.3 µg/m³), Mandaluyong City (14.5 µg/m³), Balanga (16.1 µg/m³), Quezon City (17.5 µg/m³), and Las Piñas City (17.

9 µg/m³).

Jakarta, Indonesia is the “most polluted” city in Southeast Asia, followed by Hanoi, Vietnam and Samut Sakhon, Thailand, according to the report.

The Philippines, meanwhile, landed on the 48th spot among the 73 countries in the study with the highest  PM2.5 concentration. It has an average of 14.6 µg/m³ of PM2.5, classified in the report as “moderate.”

Bangladesh has the highest average of particulate matter concentration at 97.1 µg/m³, while Iceland got the lowest at 5.0 µg/m³.