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 Davao del Sur Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Davao del Sur

Davao del Sur faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 2.9 million across 16 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 18.6µg/m³. That's 3.7 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 309 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 Davao del Sur met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.36 years longer.

That's 4.0M years of life stolen from 2.9 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 Davao del Sur. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Matanao
1.5 years lost
2.Magsaysay
1.5 years lost
3.Bansalan
1.5 years lost
4.Kiblawan
1.5 years lost
5.Hagonoy
1.5 years lost
6.Digos City
1.4 years lost
7.Padada
1.4 years lost
8.Sulop
1.4 years lost
9.Santa Cruz
1.4 years lost
10.Davao City
1.4 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

4.4%

128K

15-25 µg/m³

95.6%

2.8M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 16 Districts in Davao del Sur

Complete air quality data for every district in Davao del Sur, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Davao City	1.9M	18.8	1.4 years
Digos City	180K	19.6	1.4 years
Malita	154K	16.1	1.1 years
Santa Cruz	116K	18.9	1.4 years
Malalag	95K	17.9	1.3 years
Jose Abad Santos	69K	14.0	0.9 years
Santa Maria	64K	16.3	1.1 years
Matanao	52K	20.6	1.5 years
Bansalan	51K	20.1	1.5 years
Hagonoy	51K	19.9	1.5 years
Magsaysay	50K	20.6	1.5 years
Padada	41K	19.6	1.4 years
Don Marcelino	41K	14.7	1.0 years
Kiblawan	33K	20.0	1.5 years
Sulop	22K	19.2	1.4 years
Sarangani	18K	11.3	0.6 years

Showing 16 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Davao del Sur is Injurious to Health.