ASEANEWS HEADLINE-CLIMATE CHANGE | MANILA: ‘Danger’ heat index shuts down schools
Photo shows a student at a Quezon City school using a handkerchief to shield himself from the sun./ Michael Varcas
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‘Dangerous’ heat levels shut some schools in PH capital region | ANC
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MANILA, Philippines — Extreme heat leading to unbearable classroom conditions forced schools in Metro Manila to send students home yesterday, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).
Navotas, however, continued with face-to-face classes in public and private schools.
On-site classes were suspended in Manila, Malabon, Parañaque, Las Piñas and Pasay, the DepEd reported.
Students in Marikina were dismissed early in the morning.
Valenzuela and Caloocan shifted to asynchronous or blended learning.
San Juan will enforce today a new class schedule to protect students from extreme heat, with classes set from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
In Pampanga, the cities of Angeles and San Fernando suspended afternoon classes due to the high heat index.
Other areas in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao have yet to report class disruptions due to extreme heat.
Alternative delivery mode mechanisms, such as remote classes, were triggered by the DepEd.
After the pandemic, various groups and education stakeholders called for a return to the old school calendar, citing the heat experienced by students in March and April.
Lawmakers also sought to intervene, stressing that the current school calendar from August to June is inappropriate in the country.
Thousands of schools suspended classes in March and April last year, prompting President Marcos to approve calendar adjustments, with classes opening by June 16 and ending by March 31, 2026.
Malacañang yesterday assured the public that the government is prepared for the effects of a high heat index.
Agencies are collating action plans to brace for the impact of higher temperatures, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said.
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Band-aid solution
Schools must be equipped by the government with proper ventilation and health care services, according to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT).
“The suspension of classes is necessary, but it is merely a band-aid solution to a systemic problem,” said ACT chairman Vladimer Quetua.
“The situation has become so desperate that students are being asked to forgo their uniforms, bring personal fans and crowd into clinics or canteens just to get drinking water,” he noted.
Funds for maintenance and other operating expenses must be immediately disbursed to schools for emergency cooling measures, he said.
Construction of 15,000 climate-resilient classrooms – as promised last year by the DepEd – should be fast-tracked, along with properly equipped clinics in every school, Quetua said.
Budget for school infrastructure must be increased next year, targeting the classroom shortage of 250,000, he noted.
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Heat-related
Temperatures reaching 42 to 51 degrees Celsius can result in heat cramps and heat exhaustion, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.
Symptoms include overfatigue, dizziness, headache and vomiting, the DOH noted.
Too much sun exposure can increase people’s chances of suffering heat stroke, the agency said.
Drink water and avoid iced tea, soda, coffee and alcoholic drinks, the DOH advised the public.
“They should limit their outdoor exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., use protective items such as hats, umbrellas and sunblock and wear loose clothing or those made of light fabric,” the agency said.
People experiencing symptoms should be transferred to cool and shaded areas with proper ventilation and drink cold water slowly.
Patients can have a cold compress placed on their head, face, neck, armpits and wrist.
Some parts of the country may experience a danger-level heat index of 42 to 51 degrees Celsius, according to the state weather bureau.
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Heat breaks, hazard pay
Heat breaks and other measures to prevent heat-related illnesses in the workplace should be implemented amid the scorching heat, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines president and House Deputy Speaker Raymond Mendoza said.
Hazard pay for workers exposed to extreme heat must be institutionalized by the government, Federation of Free Workers president and senatorial candidate Sonny Matula said.
“Heat leaves” in collective bargaining agreements should also be adopted, Matula noted.
Mendoza said the Department of Labor and Employment should mandate employers to conduct heat-related health risk assessments and improve workplace ventilation. — Rhodina Villanueva, Mayen Jaymalin, Ghio Ong, Mark Ernest Villeza, Ramon Efren Lazaro, EJ Macababbad, Alexis Romero
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