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 Benguet Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Benguet

Benguet faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 871 thousand across 14 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 28.8µg/m³. That's 5.8 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 478 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 Benguet met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 2.31 years longer.

That's 2.0M years of life stolen from 871 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 Benguet. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Baguio City
2.5 years lost
2.La Trinidad
2.5 years lost
3.Kabayan
2.3 years lost
4.Buguias
2.3 years lost
5.Atok
2.3 years lost
6.Tublay
2.2 years lost
7.Bokod
2.2 years lost
8.Kibungan
2.1 years lost
9.Bakun
2.1 years lost
10.Tuba
1.9 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

15-25 µg/m³

22.5%

196K

25-35 µg/m³

77.5%

675K

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 14 Districts in Benguet

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Baguio City	392K	31.0	2.5 years
La Trinidad	134K	30.3	2.5 years
Tuba	67K	24.8	1.9 years
Itogon	63K	24.7	1.9 years
Buguias	47K	28.2	2.3 years
Mankayan	36K	23.6	1.8 years
Kibungan	19K	26.8	2.1 years
Kabayan	18K	28.6	2.3 years
Kapangan	18K	23.9	1.9 years
Atok	17K	28.1	2.3 years
Bokod	17K	27.1	2.2 years
Tublay	17K	27.9	2.2 years
Bakun	15K	26.0	2.1 years
Sablan	11K	20.0	1.5 years

Showing 14 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Benguet is Injurious to Health.