Metro Cebu’s Air Quality Index reached 165 (“very unhealthy”) at 4 p.m. on Oct. 13, 2026, driven by local vehicles, industry, low wind speeds, and low temperatures.
Environmental Management Bureau 7 advised pedestrians to avoid heavy traffic, urged individuals with heart or respiratory conditions to stay indoors, and encouraged restricting vehicle use.
Air quality in Barangay Cabitoonan, Toledo City remained in the “good” classification, recording an Air Quality Index reading of 40 at 4 p.m.
AIR quality in Metro Cebu stayed in the “very unhealthy” range on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 13, 2026, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) rising to 165 as of 4 p.m., the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7 said.
The reading was slightly higher than the 162 recorded at 11 a.m. and the 141 at 7 a.m., when the air was still classified as “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
EMB 7 said local emission sources, mainly motor vehicles, industrial operations and area-specific activities, remain the main cause of the current air quality.
Weather made matters worse, the agency said. Low temperatures from nighttime to early morning keep fine particulate matter suspended and trapped. Very low wind speeds also prevent the particles from dispersing, EMB 7 said.
Health precautions
With the air at that level, the agency advised pedestrians to avoid heavy-traffic areas. People with heart or respiratory diseases, such as asthma, were told to stay indoors and rest as much as possible.
The public was also advised to postpone unnecessary trips and voluntarily restrict the use of vehicles.
In Barangay Cabitoonan, Toledo City, air quality stayed “good,” with an AQI of 40 at 4 p.m., down from 44 at 11 a.m. and 43 at 7 a.m. / DPC