Short answer. The Philippines rates fine particles (PM2.5) on a six-level air quality index set by DENR Administrative Order 2020-14: Good, Fair, Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, Very Unhealthy, Acutely Unhealthy and Emergency, from 0 to above 91 µg/m³ 1. Each level carries an official cautionary statement; at Emergency, everyone should stay indoors 1. EMB publishes yearly National Air Quality Status Reports 2.
Where can I check air quality right now?
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the environment department runs an air quality site that links to an Air Quality Monitoring Bulletin and publishes National Air Quality Status Reports, the most recent covering 2023 2. The reports describe past years, not today's air. EMB states that the AQI figures shown for the Philippines on aqicn.org are not provided by DENR-EMB 2. Watch for EMB and local government announcements during haze, fires or volcanic smog.
What do the index levels mean?
DENR Administrative Order No. 2020-14 sets six PM2.5 levels, in micrograms per cubic metre, with these cautionary statements for the public 1:
| Level | Colour | PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Official cautionary statement 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Green | 0-25 | None |
| Fair | Yellow | 25.1-35.0 | None |
| Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups | Orange | 35.1-45.0 | People with respiratory diseases such as asthma should limit outdoor exertion |
| Very Unhealthy | Red | 45.1-55 | Avoid heavy traffic areas; people with heart or respiratory disease stay indoors and rest; postpone unnecessary trips |
| Acutely Unhealthy | Purple | 55.1-90 | Everyone limits outdoor exertion; people with heart or respiratory disease stay indoors; vehicle use may be restricted |
| Emergency | Maroon | above 91 | Everyone stays indoors, windows and doors closed unless heat stress is possible |
The breakpoints were developed by EMB with a technical working group that included the Department of Health and the World Health Organization 1. See Air quality index explained.
How polluted is the air on average?
The population-weighted median of Philippine cities shows about 19 µg/m³ of PM2.5 (annual mean 2021-2023) 3, almost four times the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³ 5. Nitrogen dioxide is about 6.6 µg/m³ 4, below the WHO guideline of 10 µg/m³ 5. That NO2 figure is a regional background over roughly 80 km: a busy street in Metro Manila will be higher.
What should I do on a bad air day?
Follow the statement for the current level 1. From Very Unhealthy, pedestrians should avoid heavy traffic areas, people with heart or respiratory diseases such as asthma should stay indoors and rest as much as possible, unnecessary trips should be postponed, and people should voluntarily restrict vehicle use 1. At Emergency, everyone should remain indoors, keeping windows and doors closed unless heat stress is possible 1.
Phaenyx found no national official guidance specific to wildfire smoke, dust or volcanic smog. See A clean-air room at home, Masks for smoke, Volcanic ash, Wildfire smoke, Pollution episodes, Sensitive people and polluted air and Children and polluted air. For volcano alert levels, see our Philippines alerts page. A household plan can note who at home is sensitive to polluted air.
Frequently asked questions
What PM2.5 level is "good" in the Philippines?
0 to 25 µg/m³, shown in green 1.
When should people with asthma stay indoors?
From Very Unhealthy (45.1 µg/m³ and above), people with heart or respiratory diseases such as asthma should stay indoors and rest as much as possible 1.
Where does official air quality data come from?
From DENR-EMB, which publishes yearly National Air Quality Status Reports and an Air Quality Monitoring Bulletin 2.
What happens at the Emergency level?
Everyone should stay indoors; vehicle use should be prohibited except for emergencies, and non-vital industrial activity curtailed 1.
Sources
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), Air Quality Management Section — DENR Administrative Order on establishing breakpoints for PM 2.5 Air Quality Index reviewed and approved by DENR — https://air.emb.gov.ph/denr-administrative-order-on-establishing-breakpoints-for-pm-2-5-air-quality-index-reviewed-and-approved-by-emb/ (accessed 2026-10-27; archived copy of 12 November 2025)
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) — Air Quality Management Section (home page, National Air Quality Status Reports) — https://air.emb.gov.ph/ (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group (ACAG), Washington University in St. Louis — Surface PM2.5, V6.GL.02.04 (annual mean 2021-2023) — https://sites.wustl.edu/acag/datasets/surface-pm2-5/ (accessed 2026-10-27)
- Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) — CAMS global reanalysis (EAC4) — https://ads.atmosphere.copernicus.eu/ (accessed 2026-10-27)
- World Health Organization (WHO) — WHO global air quality guidelines (2021) — https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240034228 (accessed 2026-10-27)
Turn this into action
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Sources
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), Air Quality Management Section · DENR Administrative Order on establishing breakpoints for PM 2.5 Air Quality Index reviewed and approved by DENR checked 2026-10-27
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) · Air Quality Management Section (home page, National Air Quality Status Reports) checked 2026-10-27
- Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group (ACAG), Washington University in St. Louis · Surface PM2.5, V6.GL.02.04 (annual mean 2021-2023) checked 2026-10-27
- Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) · CAMS global reanalysis (EAC4) checked 2026-10-27
- World Health Organization (WHO) · WHO global air quality guidelines (2021) checked 2026-10-27