STUDENTS were sent home after classes were suspended in Marikina City following reports that Metro Manila could experience a “danger level” heat index of up to 46°C. — PHILIPPINE STAR/WALTER BOLLOZOSTHE PRESIDENTIAL palace on Monday said it is working with the Department of Health and state weather bureau to craft an action plan for heatwaves that could reach as high as 49°C in the coming days.
“We are still collating other actions plans regarding this,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing in Manila. “It’s just starting now (extreme heat). The government will always be prepared for how it will affect our economy.”
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in an advisory said Metro Manila was projected to experience a “danger level” heat index of up to 46°C for two days until Tuesday.
Many local governments in the capital region suspended classes at all levels on Monday due to the expected heatwave.
Last year, a heatwave hit the capital and other regions in April and May, as well as the bigger Southeast Asian region, leading to almost daily suspensions of in-person classes.
Based on data from the Department of Education (DepEd), Metro Manila has more than 2.8 million students.
In December last year, DepEd released an order that included extreme heat and poor air quality as grounds to suspend work and classes.
The United Nations Children’s Fund said in January that extreme weather disrupted classes of about 242 million children in 85 countries last year, including the Philippines.
Extreme heat or heatwaves, which can last for several days, can strain health, emergency, energy and transportation services and eventually lead to food and power shortages, according to the World Health Organization website.
In a statement, Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian called on schools to ensure learning outcomes are met through online or alternative learning setups despite disruptions to in-person learning due to extreme heat.
“Since weather events are expected to intensify because of our vulnerability to climate-related hazards, the education sector should adapt and bolster resilience,” the lawmaker, who heads the Senate basic education committee, said.
“We should prioritize investments in climate-resilient schools, including better ventilation and cooling systems,” he added.
High heat indexes were also expected at Clark Airport in Pampanga and Muñoz, Nueva Ecija on Tuesday.
The weather bureau said heat cramps and heat exhaustion are likely at the danger level, while heat stroke is probable with continued exposure.
Rising heat index signals the imminent arrival of the warm dry season, according to PAGASA, which is expected to officially declare the start of the dry season within the first or second week of March.
The agency earlier said the weather patterns in the coming weeks would be driven by the weakening of the northeast monsoon or amihan and the increasing influence of easterlies or warm and humid winds from the Pacific Ocean.
Global average temperatures briefly surpassed the critical 1.5°C warming threshold last year, according to the United Nations.
Also on Monday, green group Oceana flagged warmer seas that lead to widespread coral bleaching and threaten marine habitat and fisheries.
A Nature Climate Change study released on Monday said human-caused climate change and El Niño conditions combined to create record-breaking marine heatwaves, which contributed to the strengthening of Typhoon Doksuri, which hit China, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam and affected more than two million people and killed about 200 people in 2023.
There were nearly 3.5 times the number of marine heatwave days in both 2023 and 2024 compared with any other years on record, it said.
“As a nation dependent on a healthy and productive ocean, especially for poor artisanal fisherfolk and their families in coastal communities for food and livelihood, it is vital that stronger protection measures are in place,” Oceana Acting Vice-President Rose-Liza Eisma-Osorio said in a statement.
“As warmer seas lead to widespread coral bleaching, threatening marine habitat and sustainable fisheries, national and local governments should be held accountable for the safety and survival of the people,” she added.
“The government should effectively implement mitigation and adaptation measures that will result in a resilient marine ecosystem.”
WORKPLACE INSPECTIONS
Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) called for immediate protective measures for workers.
In a statement, the group sought mandatory heat breaks, a buddy system and heat stress orientation sessions to prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths.
“As temperatures continue to spike across Metro Manila and nearby provinces, no worker should suffer from heat exhaustion, collapse from dehydration, or worse, die on the job due to preventable heat stress,” TUCP President and House Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza said.
“Protecting workers from extreme heat is not optional but a shared moral and legal obligation of labor, employers, government and all stakeholders,” he added.
As temperatures rise, so do the risks of dehydration and heatstroke, particularly for campaign staff and volunteers engaging in outdoor activities for extended periods, Federation of Free Workers President Jose Sonny G. Matula said in a Viber message.
“With national and local election campaigns in full swing, candidates must also remind their campaign staff and volunteers to take necessary precautions — staying hydrated, wearing protective clothing, taking breaks in shaded areas and adjusting schedules to avoid peak heat hours,” he added.
He called on the government to institutionalize hazard pay for workers exposed to extreme heat and consider incorporating “heat leaves” into the emergency leave provisions of collective bargaining agreements.
While these deals provide leave benefits for calamities such as typhoons, floods, fires and earthquakes, Mr. Matula cited a critical gap when it comes to heat waves.
Mr. Matula also urged the Labor department to conduct workplace inspections to ensure compliance with occupational health and safety standards. — John Victor D. Ordonez, Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Chloe Mari A. Hufana
