The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) said on Thursday that it will prepare for the distribution of face masks should the haze from Indonesian forest fires continue to spread throughout the country.
According to the Manila Standard, DOH Undersecretary Eric Domingo confirmed that the department is already working on distributing protective supplies "if needed." He added that they are currently monitoring the Philippines' air quality.
The DOH already warned residents in affected areas earlier this week to protect themselves from the haze. Citizens have also been advised to consult with medical experts should they experience problems with breathing and other lung-related symptoms.
News of the Indonesian haze reaching the Philippines first broke out on Wednesday when the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) reportedly announced that Cebu experienced "hazy weather conditions."
According to the Straits Times, an official with the bureau said residents reported haze in some parts of the metro since earlier this week. Cebu's current air quality reportedly reached 56 micrograms per normal cubic meter.
As part of the protective measures in keeping the situation at hand, local airlines cancelled several flights in both Cebu and Mindanao. Residents of Cebu were also instructed to stay within their homes or anywhere indoors.
Amid health concerns rising in the country, DOH 7 Director, Dr. Jaime Bernadas, said the department has yet to determine what types of gasses have been carried into the Philippines due to the haze.
Meanwhile, other Southeast Asian countries continue to suffer from the haze that allegedly came from forest fires spread across Indonesia. As of Thursday, Malaysian authorities have distributed two million face masks, CNN reported.
In the East Malaysian region of Sarawak, over 500,000 masks were distributed to students after the air quality reached 237 micrograms - a "very unhealthy" air quality level that environmentalists expressed concerns for.
Indonesia's National Board for Disaster Management confirmed that around 800,000 acres of land in the country have burned down this year as fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan continue to fire up.
While Indonesian forest fires take place yearly, the National Police said it has arrested 185 people suspected to have played roles in the spreading of fires. Previous reports suggested that some farmers were responsible for starting fires.
Indonesia's raging fires came after news of Amazon's infernos rocked the world. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro previously said he will not attend a summit discussing the resolution of the matter due to post-surgery measures.
However, Bloomberg reported on Thursday that Bolsonaro will stand before the United Nations General Assembly next week to air his side on the issue. Presidential spokesman Otavio Rego Barros said Bolsonaro will be in New York despite medical concerns about his recovery.
