Home⇛HCCCI International Multidisciplinary Research Journal⇛vol. 1 no. 2 (2026)

Smoke Without Borders: Multi-Year Assessment of Indonesian Forest Fire Haze, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Public Health Consequences in Mindanao

Marlon Viejo

Discipline: Environmental Science

 

Abstract:

Transboundary air pollution from Indonesian forest fires has emerged as a critical environmental concern affecting Southeast Asia, with Mindanao, Philippines, serving as a primary receptor zone. This study documents and analyzes haze episodes originating from Indonesian forest fires that reached Mindanao between 2015 and 2020. Using a multi-source secondary data approach — integrating air quality monitoring records, satellite-derived fire radiative power data, and atmospheric trajectory analyses — this research examines particulate matter concentrations (PM2.5, PM10), total suspended particulates (TSP), greenhouse gas emissions, and associated public health impacts. The 2015 forest fire crisis represented the most severe episode of the period, with PM2.5 concentrations in Davao City exceeding 300 μg/m³ — nearly nine times the Philippine National Air Quality Guideline Value of 35 μg/m³. A general declining trend was observed from 2016 to 2019, followed by a notable resurgence in 2020, reflecting continued regional vulnerability. This study demonstrates the urgent need for enhanced transboundary monitoring networks, inter-agency data sharing, and strengthened regional cooperation under the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution to mitigate the long-term public health and environmental consequences of these recurring events.



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