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Clean air advocates march along Tomas Morato Ave to call for clean air and updated air quality standards, coinciding with Car-Free Sunday first year anniversary. Photo: Chantal Eco

Quezon City, Philippines | December 7, 2025 — Under the hazy skies of Metro Manila, health and environment advocates, families, and youth gathered in Quezon City on Sunday, December 7, to call for cleaner air and stronger action against air pollution in the Philippines.

Organized by Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia and 350 Pilipinas, in partnership with the Quezon City Government, Quezon City Police Department, Quezon City Health Department, and the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Walk for Clean Air campaign gathered more than 500 advocates, including health professionals, environmental groups, and community members, in a symbolic 2.5-kilometer walk from the National Children’s Hospital to Tomas Morato Rotonda. The activity was held in observance of National Clean Air Month and National Children’s Month, underscoring the urgent need to protect the health of future generations from the harmful effects of air pollution.

“Clean air is not a privilege—it’s a basic human right. Today’s walk shows that people are ready to take action and call on our leaders to strengthen air quality standards, improve monitoring systems, and invest in sustainable transport solutions that prioritize health, especially for vulnerable groups like our children.” – Melody Melo-Rijk, Regional Climate and Health Manager, Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia

A vibrant scene of advocacy and unity during Tomas Morato’s car-free Sunday, the walk featured participants carrying placards and banners with their personal calls for clean air—urging for ‘Cities that put People and Health First’ and demanding a transition to cleaner, sustainable transport systems. Around 900 participants joined the campaign, which demonstrated a shared commitment to a healthier, more livable future.

“The next generation needs to be able to know what clean air looks like. Doing nothing today means neglecting the current and future generation’s right to a safe and healthy environment. Walking for clean air means standing up for our future. Healthy Air means healthy Filipinos.” — Emmanuel Tiongson, MD, MPH and Imelda Rondilla Tiongson, MD, doctors that joined the walk with their family

“Every day, I see children suffering from asthma and respiratory illnesses that are made worse by the air they breathe. As doctors, we can prescribe medicine—but what our patients truly need is clean air. That’s why I’m here, walking with my colleagues and our communities, to remind everyone that protecting the environment is protecting our patients’ health.” — Dr. Lannie Fofue, Medical Specialist, National Children’s Hospital

The groups behind the walk underscored that the Philippines’ air quality standards have not been updated since 2016, despite mounting evidence of the health impacts of pollution. The current limit for fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅)—one of the most harmful pollutants—is five times weaker than the World Health Organization’s 2021 air quality guidelines. Aligning the country’s standards with these international benchmarks, they stressed, is critical to preventing thousands of pollution-related illnesses and deaths each year.

In a symbolic link to their advocacy, the 2.5-kilometer route in Quezon City represented the need to raise awareness about PM₂.₅, the pollutant most responsible for air pollution-related diseases such as stroke, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses.

Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia, 350 Pilipinas, and campaign partners emphasized that with rapid urban development, the need to strengthen national air quality standards is more urgent than ever. They called on the government to align the country’s regulations with international health benchmarks, upgrade air quality monitoring systems, and prioritize sustainable mobility. This includes investing in active and public transportation systems that are not only environmentally sound but also designed with people’s health, safety, and well-being in mind.

The Walk for Clean Air campaign activity concluded with a short program at Tomas Morato Rotonda, where participants and organizers expressed optimism that their united call would encourage stronger policy enforcement, better air quality management, and a national commitment to cleaner, healthier communities.

“Every step we take today is a reminder that we all share the same air. The fight for clean air is deeply interconnected with promoting safer streets, sustainable transport and healthier communities. Above all, it’s a testament that climate action requires the collective effort of communities, civil society, local governments, and the public. Car-free initiatives allow us to reclaim roads for people—to let our streets, and our cities, breathe once again.” said Ara Alejo, Clean Air Campaigner for 350 Pilipinas.

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Additional Resources

• Event briefer: bit.ly/WFCA2025Briefer
• Pre-event PR: Nov 7 Press Release: Walk for Clean Air
• Event photos: Event Photos

About the Organizers

Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia is a regional office of HCWH, an international NGO that strives to transform health care worldwide so that it reduces its environmental footprint, becomes a community anchor for sustainability, and leads in the global movement for environmental health and justice. The organization’s work is centered around the mission of championing people’s right to health and a healthy environment.

350 Pilipinas is part of 350.org, an international movement of ordinary people working to end the age of fossil fuels and build a world of community-centered renewable energy for all. It is a network of volunteers supporting the Philippine climate movement, aiming to create a secure and promising future by empowering individuals and communities, fostering justice, prosperity, and equality, all while ensuring a climate-safe environment.

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