Baguio City, known as the "City of Pines" and the "Summer Capital of the Philippines," has long been a favorite destination for tourists and locals alike. However, over the years, the city's air quality has deteriorated due to various factors, such as the increase in vehicular traffic, industrialization, and the use of wood as fuel for cooking and heating. 

According to Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (n.d.), nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, black carbon, and dust are among the air contaminants in downtown Baguio that are harmful when inhaled in high doses. Using the WHO standard as a guide, they computed the cost of medical care or hospitalization for sick family members, the missed wages of the patients and those who provide care, and the productivity lost when a family member passes away from an illness linked to air pollution.

As stated by Vincent Cabreza (2015), air pollution in Baguio City has become a health hazard, especially to vulnerable groups such as children, senior citizens, and those with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The actual risk of consequences is based on your current state of health, the kind and concentration of pollutants, and the length of time you were exposed to the contaminated air. People are experiencing coughing, wheezing, headache, and eye irritation more frequently, and our environment suffers from the harmful effects. We cannot ignore this problem any longer.

As mentioned by the League of Cities of the Philippines Secretariat (2017), outdoor air pollution causes 1 in 8 deaths worldwide and more than 3 million premature deaths annually. In the Philippines, more than half of emissions are caused by transportation. Clean Air Asia, a global non-governmental organization, is helping cities in Asia achieve improved air quality and build healthier and more livable cities through its "Cities for Clean Air Certification" program.

We urge our local government officials and concerned agencies to take immediate action to address the air pollution crisis in Baguio City. Addressing this problem will improve our residents' health and well-being and attract more tourists and investors to our city. Let us work together to create a cleaner and healthier Baguio City for present and future generations.