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 Tarlac Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Tarlac

Tarlac faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 1.6 million across 18 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 15.9µg/m³. That's 3.2 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 264 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 Tarlac met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 1.07 years longer.

That's 1.7M years of life stolen from 1.6 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 Tarlac. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Anao
1.4 years lost
2.San Manuel
1.3 years lost
3.Ramos
1.3 years lost
4.Victoria
1.3 years lost
5.Pura
1.3 years lost
6.Moncada
1.3 years lost
7.La Paz
1.3 years lost
8.Paniqui
1.2 years lost
9.Concepcion
1.2 years lost
10.Gerona
1.1 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

26.6%

432K

15-25 µg/m³

73.4%

1.2M

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 18 Districts in Tarlac

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

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Tarlac City	400K	15.5	1.0 years
Concepcion	181K	16.9	1.2 years
Capas	178K	13.9	0.9 years
Paniqui	109K	17.4	1.2 years
Gerona	102K	16.5	1.1 years
Camiling	89K	16.1	1.1 years
Bamban	80K	14.0	0.9 years
La Paz	77K	18.2	1.3 years
Victoria	73K	18.4	1.3 years
Santa Ignacia	64K	14.0	0.9 years
Moncada	64K	18.2	1.3 years
San Jose	61K	11.9	0.7 years
Mayantoc	34K	13.0	0.8 years
San Manuel	33K	18.7	1.3 years
Pura	25K	18.3	1.3 years
Ramos	20K	18.6	1.3 years
Anao	20K	18.8	1.4 years
San Clemente	14K	15.0	1.0 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 Tarlac is Injurious to Health.