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 Sulu Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Sulu

Sulu faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 919 thousand across 18 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 13µg/m³. That's 2.6 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 216 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 Sulu met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.77 years longer.

That's 708K years of life stolen from 919 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 Sulu. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Patikul
0.8 years lost
2.Talipao
0.8 years lost
3.Maimbung
0.8 years lost
4.Indanan
0.8 years lost
5.Parang
0.8 years lost
6.Jolo
0.8 years lost
7.Old Panamao
0.8 years lost
8.Panglima Estino
0.8 years lost
9.Kalingalan Caluang
0.8 years lost
10.Luuk
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

0.4%

10-15 µg/m³

99.6%

916K

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 18 Districts in Sulu

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Jolo	171K	13.4	0.8 years
Talipao	109K	13.6	0.8 years
Indanan	94K	13.4	0.8 years
Parang	73K	13.4	0.8 years
Siasi	72K	11.4	0.6 years
Luuk	63K	12.8	0.8 years
Maimbung	60K	13.5	0.8 years
Old Panamao	52K	13.3	0.8 years
Kalingalan Caluang	37K	12.9	0.8 years
Panglima Estino	35K	13.3	0.8 years
Patikul	34K	13.6	0.8 years
Pangutaran	30K	11.6	0.6 years
Tongkil	28K	11.9	0.7 years
Lugus	19K	12.3	0.7 years
Tapul	16K	12.8	0.8 years
Pata	15K	12.6	0.7 years
Pandami	10K	11.4	0.6 years
Hadji Panglima Tahil	3K	8.4	0.3 years

Showing 18 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Sulu is Injurious to Health.