Haze blanketed parts of Bohol province on Tuesday, obscuring views of Panglao Island and the mountains of Maribojoc town as authorities warned residents to take precautions.
Residents in Tagbilaran City and nearby towns woke up to hazy skies, with some reporting that the haze had already been visible since Monday.
Mel Micayabas, 34, of Dauis town, said Panglao Island appeared to be covered in smoke when viewed from a distance.
‘The haze was already visible on Monday,’ Micayabas recalled.
From Tagbilaran, neighboring Cebu Island, which is usually visible across the Bohol Strait, was also barely visible because of the thick haze.
The mountains of Maribojoc were likewise completely obscured.
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Central Visayas confirmed the presence of haze in Bohol and other parts of the region, saying it was likely caused by smoke from forest fires in Indonesia.
As of 6 a.m. Tuesday, PM2.5 levels recorded at the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS) in Talisay City, Cebu reached an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 152, classified as ‘Very Unhealthy.’
Bohol Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado urged residents to wear masks when outdoors and avoid unnecessary exposure to the haze.
‘If possible, wear a mask when going outside and avoid staying outdoors unnecessarily,’ Aumentado said in a social media post.