PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. These particles are 30 times thinner than a human hair and come from car exhaust, power plants, wildfires, and burning fuel. They are small enough to bypass your body's natural defenses and enter your bloodstream.

How does air pollution affect the body?

Air pollution affects virtually every organ in the body. PM2.5 particles enter your lungs, pass into your bloodstream, and travel to your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This causes chronic inflammation, increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, dementia, and many other conditions.

How many people are affected by air pollution?

99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds WHO safety guidelines. Air pollution kills approximately 8 million people every year—more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

Philippines's Abra Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Abra

Abra faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 268 thousand across 27 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 12.5µg/m³. That's 2.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 207 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Abra met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.74 years longer.

That's 199K years of life stolen from 268 thousand people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Abra. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Manabo
0.9 years lost
2.Tubo
0.9 years lost
3.Tayum
0.9 years lost
4.Bucay
0.8 years lost
5.Malibcong
0.8 years lost
6.Bangued
0.8 years lost
7.Luba
0.8 years lost
8.La Paz
0.8 years lost
9.Peñarrubia
0.8 years lost
10.Boliney
0.7 years lost

Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³

5-10 µg/m³

10-15 µg/m³

100%

268K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 27 Districts in Abra

Complete air quality data for every district in Abra, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Bangued	53K	13.4	0.8 years
La Paz	19K	12.7	0.8 years
Bucay	18K	13.4	0.8 years
Lagangilang	16K	12.0	0.7 years
Tayum	16K	13.8	0.9 years
Pidigan	14K	12.3	0.7 years
Manabo	13K	13.9	0.9 years
Dolores	12K	12.3	0.7 years
Pilar	12K	11.5	0.6 years
San Juan	10K	11.0	0.6 years
Peñarrubia	8K	12.7	0.8 years
Luba	7K	13.3	0.8 years
San Quintin	7K	11.1	0.6 years
Sallapadan	6K	12.1	0.7 years
Tubo	6K	13.9	0.9 years
San Isidro	5K	11.6	0.6 years
Licuan-Baay	5K	10.7	0.6 years
Tineg	5K	10.3	0.5 years
Lagayan	5K	10.6	0.5 years
Boliney	5K	12.5	0.7 years
Danglas	5K	10.9	0.6 years
Malibcong	4K	13.4	0.8 years
Villaviciosa	4K	11.2	0.6 years
Langiden	4K	12.3	0.7 years
Lacub	4K	11.3	0.6 years
Bucloc	2K	11.2	0.6 years
Daguioman	2K	11.3	0.6 years

Showing 27 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Abra is Injurious to Health.