Philippine gov't cautions public on haze from Indonesia

The Philippine government reminded Sunday residents in southern part of the country to take necessary measures, such as wearing masks, amid the haze coming from Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the concerned government agencies, such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Health (DOH), and Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), as well as the local disaster risk reduction and management councils, are working together to deal with the situation.

He said the DENR is monitoring its stations in southern cities of Davao, Cotabato and Zamboanga, and other strategic locations to check on the ambient air situation there.

"The Department of Health has cautioned those who have difficulty in breathing or who have respiratory diseases to use face mask in places where there is haze," Coloma said, adding that government hospitals are ready to provide medical assistance to those who suffer from asthma or cardiopulmonary obstructive diseases.

The haze caused by forest fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, has already affected Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.

Quoting the state weather forecasting agency, Coloma said the haze affecting southern part of the country was due to equatorial winds triggered by recent typhoon Koppu.

Coloma said the DENR has been coordinating with other Southeast Asian countries on the haze. Endit