Kunak air monitor shows clean air in Kalibo but…

KALIBO, Aklan — Data from the newly installed KUNAK Air Monitoring Station in Kalibo showed that air quality on New Year’s Day remained within normal daily averages for all monitored parameters, offering reassuring news for residents after days of heightened holiday activity.

According to the monitoring results, concentrations of PM₁₀, PM₂.₅, total suspended particulates (TSP), sulfur dioxide, ozone, and volatile organic compounds on January 1 were all below Philippine ambient air quality standards. Environmental observers attribute this improvement largely to prolonged rainfall during New Year’s Eve, which likely helped wash pollutants out of the atmosphere through natural wet deposition.

However, the KUNAK station also detected notable anomalies in particulate matter levels on December 30, 2025. Short-term spikes in PM₁₀, PM₂.₅, and TSP were recorded, a pattern consistent with emissions from fireworks and increased human activities ahead of New Year celebrations in Kalibo. Similar trends have been observed in other urban areas during major festivities.

In a separate event, an unusual rise in sulfur dioxide levels on November 25 was also noted. This anomaly is believed to be linked to the eruption of Mount Kanlaon, underscoring how regional natural events can temporarily influence local air quality.

The KUNAK Air Monitoring Station, inaugurated on August 15, 2025, measures air pollutants and noise levels every minute. It is a joint project of the Laudato Si Aklan Wing, the Local Government of Kalibo, West Point Technologies, and the Diocese of Kalibo’s Ministry of Ecology. Officials say the system will support science-based environmental decisions and promote greater public awareness of air quality conditions in Aklan.