25 October 2015•Update: 28 October 2015
By Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines
A thick haze that has spread from Indonesia across Southeast Asia has begun to affect the Philippines south, with authorities saying they are monitoring the situation.
Presidential spokesperson Herminio Coloma Jr. told state radio station Radyo ng Bayan on Sunday that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had linked up with other government departments and local disaster risk reduction management councils to deal with the situation.
"A thick haze has blanketed some parts of Mindanao [island]," Coloma said. "The government continues to monitor the situation, especially [its] ill effects."
The smoke has caused poor visibility in Mindanao skies, and health authorities are seeking to verify whether it is responsible for two recent asthma-related deaths.
"DENR is focusing on monitoring stations in Davao, Cotabato, Zamboanga and other strategic locations... [for] fine smoke which may indicate ash or carbon in the atmosphere," Coloma said.
He added that the Department of Health also advises residents, especially those with respiratory diseases, to wear masks as a precaution.
Since the summer, Indonesia has been battling smog-belching fires -- an annual problem during the dry season -- which have produced a blanket of haze that has also spread into Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore and Thailand.
Thousands of people have been suffering from respiratory infections, while schools have been closed and flights disrupted.
Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency has recorded more than 500,000 people in six provinces suffering from acute respiratory infections over the last four months.
At least 10 people have died due to exposure to smoke from the forest fires.
