Amidst its vulnerability to climate change, the Philippines is enduring an intense heatwave that has forced thousands of schools to suspend in-person classes and prompted warnings to restrict outdoor activities. The months of March, April, and May are typically the hottest and driest in the archipelago nation, but the El Nino weather phenomenon has exacerbated conditions this year.
Extreme heat scorched the Philippines on Wednesday, with the heat index, which measures the perceived temperature considering humidity, expected to reach the “danger” level of 42 degrees Celsius or higher in at least 30 cities and municipalities. The state weather forecaster issued the warning. As of Tuesday, the heat index reached 47 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit) in Cavite province, south of Manila.
The intense heat has led to the suspension of in-person classes in nearly 6,700 schools, according to the Department of Education, which oversees more than 47,600 schools. Ana Solis, chief climatologist at the state weather forecaster, stated that there is a 50 percent chance of the heat intensifying in the coming days, urging people to limit their time outdoors, stay hydrated, and take precautions like carrying umbrellas and hats when venturing outside.
El Nino is the culprit behind this extreme heat affecting large parts of the country. Around half of the country’s provinces are officially in drought. The northern municipality of Aparri experienced the highest heat index in the country on Tuesday at 48 degrees Celsius, expected to drop slightly to 45 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. Despite the actual maximum air temperature being 36.4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, the heat index makes it feel significantly hotter.
Sweltering temperatures have also affected Manila, the capital, forcing over 400 schools to switch to remote learning. The heat index reached 45 degrees Celsius on Tuesday and was anticipated to reach 44 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. The actual high in the city on Tuesday was 37.1 degrees Celsius.
In the drought-stricken Occidental Mindoro province, government employee Mary Ann Gener highlighted the disparity between those working indoors with air conditioning and those exposed to the heat outdoors. Edz Alteros, a university employee in Dagupan City, north of Manila, shared that her colleagues avoid going out for lunch due to the heat, opting to have food delivered to their air-conditioned office.
Last year, global temperatures reached record highs, and the United Nation’s weather and climate agency emphasized that Asia is warming at a particularly rapid pace, highlighting the severe impacts of climate change on vulnerable regions like the Philippines.
