MANILA — The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is embarking on a science mission – the Airborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality (ASIA-AQ) – to study the air quality in select Asian countries.
 
ASIA-AQ will conduct research flights aboard two aircraft, the NASA G-III and NASA DC-8, both currently stationed in Clark, Pampanga.
 
The DC-8 flying science laboratory, equipped with 26 advanced instruments, will navigate at low altitudes over Metro Manila and various Philippine areas from February 11 to 15.
 
"When you take this DC-8 in low altitude, you'll get the air molecules themselves... As low as 50 feet, what we do is we find a suitable air fill. We'll configure the airplane to land. And then, we'll fly as low as landing but we won't touch down," said DC-8 pilot Gregory Slover.
 
This flying laboratory is meticulously designed to collect air samples, measuring a spectrum of gaseous compounds, fine particles, and meteorological variables. The mission also incorporates the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS), a satellite instrument focused on monitoring atmospheric pollution.
 
"These are instruments that are very much more complex, that are responsible for making much finer measurements… With this kind of technology to provide an anchor point from which you can understand things beyond," emphasized James Crawford, a Research Scientist at NASA Langley Research Center.
 
For the Philippine leg of the study, the research flights will cover Metro Manila and areas like Cebu, Ilocos Norte, and Palawan – strategically chosen to represent diverse air quality concentrations.
 
The mission brings together experts from NASA, Korea’s National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER), and international partners including the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency Thailand (GISTDA), and Ministry of Environment Taiwan (MOENV).
 
DENR's engineers and air quality specialists will actively participate in the flights, alongside collaborators from the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), Manila Observatory (MO), Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU), and the University of the Philippines (UP), collectively addressing air pollution challenges in the region.
 
Dr. Ma. Obiminda Cambaliza, a climate and pollution scientist from Manila Observatory, emphasized the global impact of air pollution. She referenced data from the World Health Organization (WHO), which revealed approximately 7 million annual deaths worldwide, with one-third of these occurring in Asia. In the Philippines alone, the WHO data indicated 45 deaths per 100,000 population.
 
Monitoring PM2.5 levels, the Manila Observatory noted a positive trend of decreasing numbers, highlighting the significance of addressing air pollution.
 
PM2.5 refers to tiny particles in the air, 2.5 micrometers or smaller in size, that can be harmful when inhaled, impacting respiratory health.
 
While this signifies progress, there remain substantial research gaps in comprehending air pollution, underscoring the ongoing need for extensive investigation and action.
 
"In year 2020, 2021, we are seeing annual numbers of like 18 to 20 micrograms per cubic meter and that’s coming from a number like 60 to 50 micrograms per cubic meter in the mid 2000s… We have so many research gaps, knowledge gaps in terms of air pollution. We have so much work to do," said Cambaliza.

Undersecretary Eric Tayag, the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Health (DOH), underscored the significant health risks posed by air pollution.
 
"Ang lung cancer ay alam naman natin maaaring makuha sa cigarette smoking... Subalit alam din natin na may kontribusyon ang air pollution," he said.
 
"Maliban sa lung cancer ang air pollution ay pangunahin ding dahilan sa mga resipartory diseases at gusto nating malaman ang kontribusyon nito sa nangyayaring pong pagtaas ng influenza-like illness," he added.
 
The DENR emphasized the importance of understanding the dynamics observed both from space and on the ground.
 
"We need to understand in order to have policy and regulation that is evidenced-base regarding public health, regarding industrial compliance, regarding the general ecosystem," said DENR Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga.
 
All collected data and research findings will be made accessible to the public within one year.
 
ASIA-AQ will also sample air in other Asian countries such as Korea, Thailand, and Malaysia.