Cebu City extends face-to-face class suspension to 4th day as haze persists

Local

FACE-to-face classes in Cebu City remained suspended for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, Sept. 7, as air quality in Metro Cebu stayed at “very unhealthy” levels due to haze linked to forest and peatland fires in Indonesia.

Air quality index (AQI) in Metro Cebu reached 157 as of 11 a.m., putting it within the “very unhealthy” range. At this level, people who are particularly sensitive to air pollution, including those with existing respiratory conditions, are advised to avoid prolonged outdoor exposure.

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has directed schools to continue holding classes online and suspend face-to-face gatherings and activities to protect students, particularly younger children who may have difficulty consistently wearing face masks.

The suspension, however, does not cover tertiary schools.

Archival’s chief of staff, Kenneth Siasar, defended the decision during a media briefing on Monday, saying college students are more capable of taking precautions against the haze, including wearing face masks when attending classes.

"They (college students) are responsible enough to protect themselves they can wear kanang mask all the time i-compare sa mga bata," Siasar said.

Monday’s AQI reading was higher than the 136 recorded previously, indicating a deterioration in air quality as haze continued to linger over Metro Cebu.

The Environmental Management Bureau-Central Visayas (EMB-7) said meteorological conditions, particularly wind direction and speed, have contributed to the movement of pollutants from ongoing forest and peatland fires in Indonesia’s Kalimantan region toward the Philippines.

“Mao na sa karon, di ta kaingon nga wala na gyud’y haze nasinati diri sa region. In fact, mabantayan nato sa gawas, hazy gihapon atong palibot,” said Engr. Arthur Niño Calupig, air quality monitoring specialist at EMB-7.

In the meantime, Cebu City has not recorded any patients or hospital admissions yet related to the haze.

But the city government has started stocking up nebulizers and other necessary medicines in hospitals.

A dedicated "fast lane" has been established in hospitals specifically for individuals experiencing breathing difficulties due to the haze, Siasar added.(RBE)