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 Capiz Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Capiz

Capiz faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 845 thousand across 17 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 15.6µg/m³. That's 3.1 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 259 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 Capiz met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.03 years longer.

That's 871K years of life stolen from 845 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 Capiz. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Panay
1.2 years lost
2.Panitan
1.2 years lost
3.Roxas City
1.1 years lost
4.Pontevedra
1.1 years lost
5.Dao
1.1 years lost
6.Ivisan
1 years lost
7.Sigma
1 years lost
8.Ma-Ayon
1 years lost
9.Cuartero
1 years lost
10.Dumalag
1 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

32.5%

275K

15-25 µg/m³

67.5%

571K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 17 Districts in Capiz

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Roxas City	187K	16.7	1.1 years
Tapaz	59K	14.7	0.9 years
Dumarao	55K	14.7	0.9 years
Panay	51K	16.8	1.2 years
Pontevedra	51K	16.7	1.1 years
Pilar	47K	14.2	0.9 years
Jamindan	47K	14.0	0.9 years
Mambusao	44K	14.8	1.0 years
Panitan	44K	16.8	1.2 years
Ma-Ayon	44K	15.4	1.0 years
Dao	36K	15.9	1.1 years
President Roxas	33K	15.1	1.0 years
Ivisan	33K	15.6	1.0 years
Dumalag	32K	15.2	1.0 years
Sigma	32K	15.6	1.0 years
Cuartero	30K	15.3	1.0 years
Sapi-An	23K	14.6	0.9 years

Showing 17 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Capiz is Injurious to Health.