MANILA, 25 APRIL 2025 – Acclaimed Filipino actor Soliman Cruz, honored as Best Actor at the 2022 Hanoi International Film Festival, joined climate advocates this week in a powerful performance protest urging the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to update the country’s outdated air quality standards.
Photo: Leo Sabangan II
Staged in Manila’s high-traffic public spaces, the creative action dramatized the stark realities of air pollution in the Philippines—particularly in Metro Manila, where vehicle emissions and industrial activity continue to choke the air. While recent government data shows a slight decline in harmful particulates (PM10 down to 40 µg/ncm; PM2.5 to 20 µg/ncm), levels still exceed World Health Organization safety guidelines.
Cruz portrayed a business executive navigating a public park inside an 8-foot transparent bubble—symbolizing the protective barrier wealth and privilege afford in a polluted environment. Outside the bubble stood those without such protection, exposed and breathing toxic air. The haunting tableau served as a reminder of the Clean Air Act’s unrealized promise: equal access to breathable air, regardless of income or address.
It’s been 25 years since the Clean Air Act was passed, but our standards haven’t kept pace with science,” said Ara Alejo, Clean Air Campaigner for 350 Pilipinas. “The right to clean air shouldn’t depend on your income or zip code. We call on the DENR to lead boldly and update our air quality policies to reflect today’s realities.”
Actors perform “life in a bubble,” with an 8-foot transparent dome symbolizing the wealthy few shielded from toxic air—while others remain exposed, demanding urgent action from the DENR. Photo: Leo Sabangan II
“Air pollution may be invisible, but its impacts are not,” added Jheny Dabu, Sustainable Transport Campaigner. “With the transport sector responsible for around 80% of air pollution in Metro Manila, we urgently need clean, people-centered mobility solutions.”
Ara Alejo, Clean Air Campaigner, 350 Pilipinas:
It’s been 25 years since the Clean Air Act was passed, but our standards haven’t kept pace with science,” said Ara Alejo, Clean Air Campaigner for 350 Pilipinas. “The right to clean air shouldn’t depend on your income or zip code. We call on the DENR to lead boldly and update our air quality policies to reflect today’s realities.”
Jheny Dabu, Sustainable Transport Campaigner, 350 Pilipinas says:
“Air pollution may be invisible, but its impacts are not,” said Jheny Dabu, Sustainable Transport Campaigner for 350 Pilipinas. “The Philippine Clean Air Act, passed in 1999, was a landmark law meant to safeguard our right to breathe. But laws must evolve with the times—they’re meant to be living instruments, not static relics. As we mark its 25th anniversary, we honor its legacy by pushing for urgent updates that align with current science and WHO standards. With the transport sector responsible for around 80% of air pollution in Metro Manila, transitioning to clean, people-centered mobility isn’t just climate action—it’s public health advocacy and a step toward a healthier future for all Filipinos.”
Melody Melo-Rijk, Regional Climate and Health Manager, Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia:
“Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia recognizes that clean air is crucial to preserving public health. We strongly support the immediate call to revise the Philippine air quality standards and align with the World Health Organization’s recommendations. Now more than ever, stronger standards are essential to avoid pollution-related diseases and progress environmental health equity. We at HCWH SEA will continue to advocate for initiatives that support the healthcare sector in protecting our communities here in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia.”
Golda Hilario, Southeast Asia Coordinator, Clean Mobility Collective:
“We all live outside the bubble of clean air, breathing in pollution from vehicle emissions that harms our environment and our health. This toxic air affects us all, but it is our children, the elderly, and the most vulnerable who suffer the most. Acting to improve the air we breathe offers a crucial opportunity to inspire a movement that transforms our streets, prioritises sustainable and accessible transport, and ensures that clean air is a right for everyone, regardless of their location or circumstances”
Chuck Baclagon, Regional Finance Campaigner, 350.org Asia:
“Across Asia—where rapid urbanization collides with outdated policies and deepening inequality—clean air has become a luxury, not a right.Metro Manila’s smog is just one snapshot of a continent where outdated laws, dirty transport, and inequality collide in the very air we breathe. From Jakarta to Delhi, cities are being slowly poisoned by traffic fumes, industrial emissions, and years of environmental neglect. This is about more than the climate—it’s about fairness, dignity, and survival. If Asia is to have a livable future, we need bold, science-driven action that puts people—not pollution—at the heart of policy.”
A second performance will take place on April 28 along EDSA in Mandaluyong, with actress Mercedes Cabral continuing the campaign’s visual call for action.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS:
- 350 Pilipinas is an advocacy organization working for climate action that is based on the realities of science and grounded in the principles of justice.
- The Clean Mobility Collective (CMC) is a network addressing emissions and public health challenges from the global transport sector.
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