CALAPAN CITY: A thick haze has been observed in parts of Occidental Mindoro, including Calintaan town, as smoke from forest and land fires in Indonesia reached several areas of the Philippines, local disaster officials said.
The Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) of Rizal town in Occidental Mindoro warned residents about the haze after reports indicated that the southwest monsoon has carried smoke from fires in Indonesian districts of Sumatra and Kalimantan toward South-East Asia.
Photos released by the Provincial Information Office of Occidental Mindoro on Wednesday (Sept 2) showed murky aerial conditions in Calintaan.
According to the MDRRMO, moderate to heavy haze was headed for several areas of Luzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and the Visayas based on a 6pm report on Aug 31.
Areas experiencing moderate to heavy haze are Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon.
Light to moderate haze was also reported in parts of Metro Manila, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Batangas and Quezon.
Several provinces in Bicol and the Visayas were likewise affected, including Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Biliran and Samar.
The MDRRMO advised residents to limit prolonged outdoor activities while haze persists, particularly in areas where smoke is visibly thick.
Those who need to go outdoors were encouraged to wear face masks to reduce exposure to smoke and fine particulate matter.
Children, older adults and people with sensitive respiratory systems were urged to take extra precautions and remain indoors when possible.
The haze comes as parts of Southeast Asia continue to deal with smoke from forest and land fires, with wind conditions carrying the pollutants across national borders. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
