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 Bulacan Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Bulacan

Bulacan faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 4.2 million across 24 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 20µg/m³. That's 4.0 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 332 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 Bulacan met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.48 years longer.

That's 6.1M years of life stolen from 4.2 million 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 Bulacan. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Meycauayan City
1.7 years lost
2.Marilao
1.7 years lost
3.Obando
1.6 years lost
4.Bocaue
1.6 years lost
5.Balagtas
1.6 years lost
6.Guiguinto
1.6 years lost
7.Malolos City
1.5 years lost
8.Plaridel
1.5 years lost
9.Calumpit
1.5 years lost
10.Bulacan
1.5 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

0.3%

13K

15-25 µg/m³

99.7%

4.1M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 24 Districts in Bulacan

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
San Jose del Monte City	636K	19.9	1.5 years
Santa Maria	376K	20.3	1.5 years
Marilao	360K	22.0	1.7 years
Meycauayan City	326K	22.6	1.7 years
Malolos City	295K	20.7	1.5 years
Baliuag	195K	18.8	1.3 years
Bocaue	181K	21.6	1.6 years
San Miguel	165K	15.8	1.1 years
Obando	159K	21.6	1.6 years
Pandi	156K	19.4	1.4 years
Norzagaray	147K	17.8	1.3 years
Hagonoy	142K	18.7	1.3 years
Calumpit	137K	20.4	1.5 years
Plaridel	132K	20.5	1.5 years
Pulilan	124K	20.1	1.5 years
San Rafael	111K	17.3	1.2 years
Guiguinto	110K	20.9	1.6 years
Bustos	88K	18.5	1.3 years
Bulacan	76K	20.3	1.5 years
Angat	62K	17.1	1.2 years
San Ildefonso	58K	15.7	1.1 years
Balagtas	52K	20.9	1.6 years
Paombong	49K	18.6	1.3 years
Doña Remedios Trinidad	13K	14.6	0.9 years

Showing 24 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Bulacan is Injurious to Health.