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 Isabela Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Isabela

Isabela faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.8 million across 37 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 12.3µg/m³. That's 2.5 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 204 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 Isabela met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.7 years longer.

That's 1.3M years of life stolen from 1.8 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 Isabela. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Santiago City
1.2 years lost
2.Cordon
1.2 years lost
3.Ramon
1.2 years lost
4.San Isidro
1.2 years lost
5.San Mateo
1.1 years lost
6.Alicia
1 years lost
7.Cabatuan
1 years lost
8.Aurora
1 years lost
9.San Manuel
0.9 years lost
10.Luna
0.8 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

30.5%

546K

10-15 µg/m³

44.7%

801K

15-25 µg/m³

24.9%

446K

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 37 Districts in Isabela

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Santiago City	180K	17.4	1.2 years
Ilagan	160K	8.5	0.3 years
Cauayan City	144K	12.3	0.7 years
Echague	92K	13.5	0.8 years
Alicia	84K	15.1	1.0 years
Tumauini	70K	9.2	0.4 years
Cabagan	64K	9.2	0.4 years
Roxas	63K	13.6	0.8 years
San Mariano	60K	6.7	0.2 years
San Mateo	58K	16.1	1.1 years
Benito Soliven	54K	7.7	0.3 years
Cordon	50K	17.4	1.2 years
Ramon	47K	17.4	1.2 years
Angadanan	47K	12.0	0.7 years
Jones	43K	11.0	0.6 years
Quezon	43K	11.3	0.6 years
Cabatuan	42K	14.9	1.0 years
Mallig	41K	12.7	0.7 years
Aurora	36K	14.7	1.0 years
Delfin Albano	35K	10.2	0.5 years
Santa Maria	32K	9.4	0.4 years
Gamu	30K	10.6	0.5 years
Burgos	29K	13.1	0.8 years
Quirino	29K	11.2	0.6 years
San Agustin	29K	10.4	0.5 years
San Pablo	29K	8.4	0.3 years
San Manuel	27K	14.3	0.9 years
San Isidro	26K	16.7	1.2 years
Santo Tomas	26K	10.1	0.5 years
Naguilian	25K	9.4	0.4 years
San Guillermo	23K	8.5	0.3 years
Reina Mercedes	23K	11.1	0.6 years
Luna	22K	13.6	0.8 years
Palanan	19K	6.3	0.1 years
Divilacan	5K	6.9	0.2 years
Dinapigue	4K	8.1	0.3 years
Maconacon	3K	7.2	0.2 years

Showing 37 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Isabela is Injurious to Health.