* Respiratory consultations at four DOH 7 hospitals in Central Visayas rose 26.8 percent to 3,524 in Q3 2026, while Metro Cebu recorded a "very unhealthy" AQI of 172 on Oct. 16.
* DOH 7’s Dr. Van Phillip Baton stated available data cannot directly link the consultation rise to air pollution, though it justifies investigating poor air quality as a potential public health concern.
* EMB 7 advised vulnerable individuals to stay indoors, urged the public to voluntarily restrict vehicle use, and noted localized emissions and weather conditions primarily drive the current poor air quality.
RESPIRATORY consultations at four Department of Health (DOH) 7 hospitals in Central Visayas rose by 26.8 percent in the third quarter of 2026, a period marked by ashfall from Mt. Kanlaon and transboundary haze from Indonesia, although health officials said the increase could not yet be directly linked to air pollution.
The figures were released on Friday, Oct. 16, as Metro Cebu recorded a “very unhealthy” air quality index (AQI), continuing a streak of poor air quality readings that began in September.
The four hospitals recorded 3,524 respiratory consultations from July to September, up from 2,778 during the same period in 2025, according to data provided from DOH 7.
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7 recorded an AQI of 172, classified as “very unhealthy,” at its Metro Cebu monitoring station at 4 p.m. on Friday.
DOH 7 Local Health Support Division head Van Phillip Baton said the available data do not establish a direct link between the increase in respiratory consultations and air pollution.
“While we cannot yet directly link the increase in respiratory cases to air pollution, the situation warrants closer monitoring by the DOH and concerned stakeholders,” Baton said in a message sent to the media on Friday, Oct. 16.
Baton said the data justify treating poor air quality as a potential contributing factor and investigating it as a “public health concern,” adding that the findings could support decisions to shift classes to modular learning when the AQI reaches unhealthy levels.
Consultations increase
Three of the four hospitals recorded increases in respiratory consultations from the third quarter of 2025 to the same period this year.
Cebu South Medical Center (CSMC) in Talisay City recorded the largest numerical increase, with consultations rising by 66.1 percent, from 847 to 1,407.
The increase included community-acquired pneumonia consultations, which rose from 304 to 427, and tuberculosis cases, which increased from 171 to 327. Respiratory tract infection consultations more than doubled, from 104 to 223.
At Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in uptown Cebu City, respiratory consultations increased by 22.2 percent, from 996 to 1,217.
Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Medical Center in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, recorded the highest percentage increase among the four hospitals, with consultations rising by 82.9 percent, from 193 to 353.
In contrast, St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital in southern Cebu City recorded a 26.3 percent decrease, with consultations falling from 742 to 547.
The figures show an increase in consultations at three hospitals, but they do not establish whether more people became ill because of pollution. The data cover consultations and recorded cases during the third quarter, which may include repeat visits by the same patients.
How pollution affects respiratory health
Air pollution can expose people to fine particles and other pollutants that irritate the respiratory tract and worsen existing conditions.
Fine particulate matter can penetrate deep into the lungs. Depending on the type and level of exposure, it can aggravate asthma and other respiratory diseases. People with heart or respiratory conditions may be more vulnerable to poor air quality.
Metro Cebu has experienced several pollution episodes this year, involving different sources.
In April, the AQI reached 199 on April 19. EMB 7 attributed the poor air quality to hot weather and stagnant air associated with high-pressure systems, which limited the dispersion of pollutants. Vehicle emissions, road dust and other pollutants accumulated in the atmosphere because of limited wind.
Air quality improved after the April episode, although EMB 7 recorded levels unhealthy for sensitive groups on May 20, when its Talisay City station logged a PM2.5 index of 121.
Cebu experienced another pollution episode in July following the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on July 9. Ashfall reached parts of Cebu, prompting DOH 7 and EMB 7 to issue health and water safety warnings over airborne volcanic particles.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) attributed the movement of ash toward Cebu to southwest winds influenced by typhoon Inday (Bavi) and the southwest monsoon, or habagat.
Authorities advised residents to stay indoors, use properly fitted N95 or KN95 masks when exposed to ash, avoid drinking potentially contaminated water and sweep accumulated ash rather than hose it down, which could clog drainage systems.
The ashfall cleared within about a day. EMB 7 confirmed that air quality in Toledo City had returned to the “good” category by the morning of July 10.
September haze
Beginning Sept. 1, Cebu also experienced transboundary haze from forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Southwest monsoon winds carried smoke toward Central Visayas.
On Sept. 2, Metro Cebu’s AQI reached 215, classified as “acutely unhealthy,” prompting Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City and Talisay City to suspend in-person classes.
Air quality worsened again in October, this time driven mainly by local emissions rather than the Indonesian haze, according to EMB 7. Metro Cebu’s AQI reached 180 on Oct. 11, prompting several local government units to suspend in-person classes and shift to alternative learning modes.
The Metro Cebu monitoring station recorded an AQI of 190 at 7 a.m. on Oct. 14 and 156 at 7 a.m. on Oct. 15.
These episodes involved different pollution sources, including local emissions, volcanic ash and smoke transported from outside the country. The hospital figures do not show how much each contributed to the increase in consultations. Moreover, the October readings fall outside the third-quarter period covered by the hospital data.
Local emissions and weather conditions
EMB 7 said localized emission sources, particularly motor vehicles, industrial operations and area-specific activities, remained the main drivers of Metro Cebu’s air quality levels.
Unfavorable weather conditions also intensified pollution, the bureau said. Low ambient temperatures from nighttime to early morning can contribute to the trapping of fine particulate matter, while very low wind speeds prevent pollutants from dispersing.
On Friday, the Metro Cebu monitoring station recorded an AQI of 155 at 7 a.m. and 157 at 11 a.m. before reaching 172 at 4 p.m. All three readings fell within the “very unhealthy” range.
In contrast, the monitoring station in Barangay Cabitoonan, Toledo City, recorded an AQI of 14 at 4 p.m., classified as “good.”
The differing readings show that air quality can vary by location. Residents should check official monitoring updates and follow local health advisories.
EMB 7 advised pedestrians to avoid areas with heavy traffic. People with heart or respiratory diseases, including asthma, were advised to stay indoors and rest as much as possible.
The bureau also recommended postponing unnecessary trips and voluntarily restricting vehicle use while air quality remains poor. It urged the public to monitor official air quality updates and advisories. / CDF