Manila, Philippines Air Quality & Smog

Dominant pollutants, when pollution and smog are worst, a notable historical episode, and the official monitoring agencies for Manila, Philippines — plus how to check the current reading. Manila reports air quality on the Philippine Air Quality Index, not the US AQI — our guide to world air-quality indices explains how the major scales compare.

Dominant pollutants

PM2.5, NO₂ (traffic).

Seasonal pattern: when smog is worst

Metro Manila's air is dominated by heavy traffic and an ageing diesel fleet, with open burning and industry adding to the load; the dry season (roughly December–May) is worse. Volcanic activity in the region can also degrade air sharply.

A notable air-quality episode

In January 2020 the eruption of Taal Volcano south of the capital blanketed Metro Manila in ash and hazardous air, closing schools and offices and grounding flights.

The local index and who runs it

Manila reports air quality using the Philippine Air Quality Index, not the US AQI — so the same air can read as a different number than you may be used to. The DENR-EMB publishes readings and a national AQI; see our world air-quality indices guide for how it compares.

• Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources — Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB)

How to check air quality in Manila

For the official live reading, the agency portals above are the canonical source. To understand what the numbers mean, see our guide to world air-quality indices and how they compare to the US AQI. Smog Report puts glanceable air quality on your iPhone — widgets, Live Activities, Siri, and Apple Watch — free and with no account.

Common questions about Manila air quality

Why does Manila have air-quality and smog problems?

Metro Manila's air is dominated by heavy traffic and an ageing diesel fleet, with open burning and industry adding to the load; the dry season (roughly December–May) is worse. Volcanic activity in the region can also degrade air sharply.

What are the main air pollutants in Manila?

Manila's dominant pollutants are PM2.5, NO₂ (traffic). The reading on any given day is usually driven by whichever of these is highest.

Has Manila had a major air-quality or smog event?

In January 2020 the eruption of Taal Volcano south of the capital blanketed Metro Manila in ash and hazardous air, closing schools and offices and grounding flights.

What air-quality index does Manila use?

Manila reports air quality on the Philippine Air Quality Index (AQI), not the US AQI — so the same air can read as a different number than you may be used to. For live, glanceable readings on your iPhone, the free Smog Report app auto-selects the right local index for wherever you are.

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