HOTSPOT ANALYSIS AND COMPARISON BETWEEN SATELLITE-DERIVED AEROSOL OPTICAL DEPTH AND GROUND-BASED PARTICULATE MATTER MEASUREMENTS IN METRO MANILA

Monsoon seasons are known to affect weather and climate in the Philippines. These shifting winds also cause the movement of pollutants in Asia. In this study, we found that during the northeast monsoon, pollution emissions from northern East Asia reach the northern part of the Philippines. On average, these transported pollutants make up a third of observed pollutants in the region.

This paper presents a low-technical method of estimating particulate air pollution in small cities, using Cabanatuan City, Philippines, as the study site, intended for use by stakeholders requiring minimal training in geospatial methods and GIS, for expediting air pollution emission inventories. This method utilizes local emission data and land cover derived from Google Earth satellite images. Results in the study site suggest high emissions from vehicular sources and rice straw burning.