About 20 local government units in six provinces and Zamboanga City have declared a state of calamity due to El Niño, the government task force for the weather phenomenon said Friday, with more expected to follow suit.
The Department of Agriculture has reported damages due to El Nino reaching at least P2.63 billion this year, drying up over 14,000 hectares of rice fields.
This developed as thousands of schools suspended in-person classes on Friday, the education department said, as parts of the country endured dangerously high temperatures. 20 LGUs… From A1
They included all schools in Cebu province, where Governor Gwen Garcia suspended classes in public schools amid the soaring heat index. In a memorandum issued Friday, Garcia said the extreme heat is “posing a risk to the well-being of our students.”
Official figures showed 5,288 schools across the archipelago switched to remote learning, affecting more than 3.6 million students.
The months of March, April and May are typically the hottest anddriest in the archipelago nation, but conditions have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon.
Many schools have no air conditioning, leaving students to swelter inpoorly ventilated, crowded classrooms.
The Department of Education has issued an advisory giving school headsthe power to decide when to switch to remote learning “in cases of extreme heat and other calamities”. Some schools have reduced class hours to avoid teaching during thehottest times of the day.
Meanwhile, six areas in the country may experience a dangerous level of heat index today, according to the state weather bureau. In its 5 p.m. forecast on Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Tuguegarao City and Aborlan town in Palawan are expected to have the highest heat index of up to 43 degrees Celsius.
San Jose (Occidental Mindoro), Puerto Princesa City, and Dumangas (Iloilo) are also seen hitting 42 C on the heat index, with Catarman in Northern Samar forecast to reach 44 C by Sunday, PAGASA added.
A low-pressure area was spotted 645 km south-southeast of General Santos City, outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, but it will not enter the PAR and it is also unlikely to develop into a tropical cyclone, weather forecaster Benison Estareja of PAGASA said.
Also, the Philippine Military Academy on Friday said it had implemented measures to protect its cadets and personnel against the high heat index.
In previous years, some cadets of the PMA and the Philippine National Police Academy died due to heat stroke amid the extremely hot weather.
In Taguig, the city government, in collaboration with the Department of Education – Division of Taguig and Pateros (TaPat), said it is taking proactive measures to protect its residents, particularly students and teachers, from the adverse effects of extreme heat.
Areas under a state of calamity include the whole of Oriental Mindoro and some municipalities in Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Ifugao, Antique, and Zamboanga City, the Task Force El Niño said.
More local governments plan to follow suit due to the impact of the dry weather phenomenon in their areas, said task force spokesperson Joey Villarama.
“There are other provinces mulling over or thinking of declaring a state of calamity, but they must meet the criteria. Fifteen percent of the population must be affected, 30 percent of livelihood must be affected and there are structures that must also be affected,” he said.
Villarama added that government has given P1.1 billion worth of financial assistance, gas assistance, food packs, and equipment to farmers and families affected by El Niño.
Following a consultation meeting with DepEd TaPat on April 2, Mayor Laarni Cayetano has tasked the Taguig City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the TOWER (Taguig Open Weather & Environmental Reporting System) team to provide daily, localized heat index reports tailored to each of the city’s 52 public schools.
These reports, based on detailed climate data obtained from satellite imagery, aim to equip parents, students, and school personnel with the knowledge to effectively prepare for and mitigate the health risks associated with extreme heat.
“By understanding the local heat index, the community can take appropriate precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke,” said Cayetano, who emphasized the importance of public awareness and preparedness in facing extreme heat conditions.
In response, DepEd – Division of Taguig City and Pateros Schools Division Superintendent Alejandro Ibañez issued a memorandum adopting mitigation measures, including dress code adjustments, to combat the heat.
Teachers can wear polo shirts, while students are allowed to wear P.E. uniforms, jogging pants, and white shirts. Additionally, outdoor activities during peak heat hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. are strongly discouraged to prevent heat-related health risks among learners.
The Taguig City government has also been using its official social media platforms to share important heat safety tips and updates, ensuring that its citizens are well-informed and prepared.
Moreover, the city has conducted a thorough inspection of schools to check and immediately repair air conditioning units to provide a cooler, more comfortable learning environment for students.