Nadia Cruz

Bubbles are often seen as playful, light, and harmless but beneath their iridescent surface, a powerful metaphor. creating a temporary space, a fragile barrier that separates its occupant from the world outside. 

In the context of air pollution, the bubble symbolizes a superficial refuge—a glimpse into the extreme measures privileged individuals might need to take just to breathe safely. But beyond that, there lies a deep socio-economic divide between those who can afford cleaner environments and those who cannot.

But bubbles don’t last. They are not built to hold, and eventually, they burst.

The Life in a Bubble, creative action.

A two-part creative action, Life in a Bubble, was launched on April 25 and 28, 2025, to urge the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to update the Philippines’ outdated air quality standards. Led by 350 Pilipinas, the clean air campaign aimed to raise awareness about air pollution and emphasize how updating and enforcing stricter guidelines can help mitigate its worsening impacts to the climate and health.

 

With collaboration with two celebrated Filipino actors Soliman Cruz—honored as Best Actor at the 2022 Hanoi International Film Festival—and Mercedes Cabral, internationally acclaimed for her standout roles in Cannes-selected films, they both showed an immersive experience that is as haunting as it is eye-opening.

 

Enclosed in an 8-foot transparent bubble as the centerpiece of the action, the actors Soliman and Mercedes portrayed a wealthy business executive strolling in the park and a wealthy woman shopping in a mall, respectively. This symbolizes how the privileged few are able to shield themselves from toxic air, while others stand and attempt to continue their daily lives, while exposed and vulnerable to the worsening impacts.

 

The Life in a Bubble performance laid bare the socio-economic divide in air pollution’s impact and urged the DENR to take decisive action: update national air quality standards, fully implement the Clean Air Act, and restore real-time air monitoring capacity.

 

This is the paradox we are witnessing, a city where clean air is never a guarantee, the idea of ‘Life in a bubble’ becomes disturbingly real, a growing divide between those who can afford cleaner, insulated environments and those who must endure the toxic air outside.

It is a poignant reminder of detachment from reality. A retreat, a surrender to isolation rather than a confrontation with the root causes of air pollution. And yet, this very reality challenges us: to find creative ways to open up discourse and inspire action.

In an interview with Soliman Cruz and Mercedes Cabral, both highlighted the importance of raising awareness about the increasing levels of air pollution, not only for ourselves but for future generations to come.

“I support the campaign for clean air—for the sake of my children and grandchildren.” Says Soliman Cruz

“There are times when the air we breathe feels so polluted, you instinctively want to shield yourself from it”

 

“You escape into air-conditioned rooms, but that only drives up electricity costs. It hurts the pocket. And in the city, it feels like it will take a long time before real change comes.” He added.

 

Mercedes Cabral highlighted how artists can use their platforms to raise awareness and support advocacies. “I’m grateful to be an artist and to be part of advocacies like this. Artists have platforms that can reach wide audiences. I do what I can to help spread the message.” She said. We have the responsibility to tell the truth through film, through stories and we have the privilege and power to influence what people see and hear.” She added.

“My mother passed away from lung cancer in 2018. She was a florist, often exposed to the chemicals used in flower arrangements. But more than that, I believe the air quality in the city she lived in was a major contributing factor.”

 

“I’ve traveled, and I’ve seen the difference—in Switzerland, for example, the air is clean and clear. You can feel it, even smell it. Compared to cities in the Philippines, the contrast is painful. It’s not something you can touch, but it affects you deeply. It hurts—not just for myself, but for my fellow Filipinos. There’s so much unawareness, as if people don’t know what to do or how to help. But this is our chance, an opportunity to raise awareness, to take even small steps toward change.”

 

Air pollution is deadly

According to studies, the Philippines recorded 45.3 air pollution-related deaths per 100,000 people, ranking third on the 2018 World Health Organization study. With China and Mongolia leading respectively. This was due to exposure with fine particulate matter (PM2.5). 

 

What sets air pollution apart from other pollutants is its invisibility. You can see dirty water, but you can’t always see polluted air, for instance a glass of water, when the water is murky or filled with debris, we can easily assume that it’s contaminated and no longer potable,  but for air we may have been breathing toxic air without even knowing it. While it is true there can be multiple ways and find greener areas where it has better air quality, most cities now in Manila have dangerous air quality.

 

Around 66,230 deaths in 2019 attributed to air pollution in the country.  Those deaths are tied to fine particles in polluted air that are absorbed by the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and respiratory infections, such as pneumonia.

To compare the impacts of air quality, a breathing billboard, inspired by the India-based Jhatkaa.org was deployed outside the Lung Center of the Philippines in 2024. A side-by-side comparison is from its launch (August 2, 2024) and August 21, the last day of the breathing billboard showed a drastic change as it was exposed to polluted air, rain, and other environmental conditions.

Outdated air quality guidelines and lack of air quality monitoring systems only worsens climate crisis and ecosystem degradation. This included our country’s deep reliance on coal-fired power plants exacerbating the issue, even contributing to over 1,000 premature deaths in 2019 linked to coal-related air pollution 

 

With vehicle emissions making up 80% of air contaminants and PM2.5 and PM10 levels still exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, the urban air we breathe remains hazardous—especially for the vulnerable.

 

Inextricably, it is linked to the dominance of transportation sectors’ heavy reliance on fossil fuels. DENR reported that approximately 80% of air pollution in the Philippines originates from motor vehicles, with the remaining 20% stemming from stationary sources such as factories and open burning of organic matter. Air contaminants found in urban areas such as PM10 generally takes the form of dust from paved and unpaved roadways, which can enter the human body through the nose and throat and also irritate the eyes. 

 

Efforts to mitigate the air pollution can be translated into transitioning to clean, people-centered mobility as its both public health advocacy and a climate action, Emphasizing the role of more efficient and inclusive transport systems such as protected bike lanes, prioritizing public transits, and electric vehicle programs with integrated renewable energy source. These initiatives not only aim to reduce pollution but also to create healthier, more livable cities for all.

Are we 25 years too late?

Enacted in 1999, the Philippine Clean Air Act (Republic Act No. 8749) was a landmark piece of legislation that aimed to safeguard the right of every Filipino to breathe clean air. It set emission standards for both stationary and mobile sources of pollution and mandated the DENR to monitor and regulate air quality across the country. While progressive for its time, the law’s numerical thresholds for pollutants—such as PM2.5 and PM10—are now outdated and no longer aligned with global health standards. 

 

In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) released new air quality guidelines based on mounting scientific evidence showing that even low levels of air pollution can cause serious health issues. The updated WHO limits are much stricter. 

​The data indicating that from January to June 2023, Metro Manila’s average PM10 levels were 40 µg/ncm (down from 43 µg/ncm in the same period in 2022), and PM2.5 levels averaged 20 µg/ncm (down from 23 µg/ncm in early 2022), [Source: DENR-EMB, Philippine News Agency, and Inquirer]

It’s important to note that while these figures represent an improvement, they still exceed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2021 Air Quality Guidelines, which recommend annual averages of 5 µg/m³ for PM2.5 and 15 µg/m³ for PM10. ​

The Philippine standards are:

• Around 5x higher than WHO’s safe limit for PM2.5 (annual mean)
• Around 4x higher for PM10 (annual mean)

Our right to breathe

Over the course of the campaign, it has been emphasized by Ara Alejo, the Clean Air Campaigner for 350 Pilipinas that “It’s been 25 years since the Clean Air Act was passed, but our standards haven’t kept pace with science. 

 

The right to clean air must be treated as a basic human right—universal and non-negotiable. It should not depend on one’s income or zip code. While safeguarding this right is a shared responsibility, greater emphasis must be placed on those with the authority to implement and monitor air quality standards, and to hold accountable the biggest contributors to pollution.

Advocacy groups are continuously urging the government agencies, and leaders to urge DENR to fast track the adoption of the WHO 2021 guidelines and ensure air quality regulation is grounded in science and equity. Amid the upcoming mid-term elections these actions are geared into pushing for collaborations with inter-government agencies potentially influencing the Philippine Congress to allocate adequate funding for the monitoring and enforcement of these new standards, mobilize communities to harness and utilize solutions—such as sustainable transport, better urban planning, and clean energy adoption.

“Laws must evolve with the times—they’re meant to be living instruments, not static relics.

“With the transport sector responsible for around 80% of air pollution in Metro Manila, stronger policies must go hand in hand with a transition to clean, people-centered mobility” says Jheny Dabu, 350 Pilipinas’ campaigner for Sustainable Transport

 

When a bubble bursts, it doesn’t have to signal defeat, it can mark the beginning of collective awakening. Just as communities once came together to push for the passage of the Philippine Clean Air Act, we can unite to demand stronger protections and updated standards that reflect today’s realities. 

Bursting the bubble means stepping out of isolation and into action—organizing, engaging, and holding leaders accountable eventually, Clean air can move from being a privilege for the few to a right for all.

 

A future we can collectively fight, with our lungs no longer bear the weight of smog. For a clear blue sky, where no one needs a bubble to breathe.

For more information about the clean air campaign lead by 350 Pilipinas, read more here

 

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The Life in a bubble was joined by 350 Pilipinas, Ms. Mercedes Cabral, Mr. Soliman Cruz, Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia, 350 Pilipinas Bike Squad, Polytechnic University of the Philippines Students, Move As One Coalition and with the support from Clean Mobility Collective.