The government has disbursed some P487.1 million for assistance regions hard-hit by the El Niño dry spell, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
The assistance consisted of family food packs, financial aid, fuel, galvanized sheets, generator sets, and hygiene kits distributed to affected residents in Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula, the NDRRMC said in its latest report.
Damage to agriculture was estimated at P1.23 billion in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula.
The NDRRMC report also stated that a total of 29,400 farmers and fishermen were affected by the drought which scorched some 26,731 hectares of farmlands across the country.
Earlier, the El Niño Task Force headed by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., directed the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to ensure the safety of all public hospitals and health facilities nationwide.
Teodoro underscored the need to mitigate the risk of fire-related incidents, accidents, and emergency situations.
Meanwhile, hundreds of schools across the country, including dozens in Metro Manila, suspended in-person classes on Tuesday due to dangerous levels of heat, with the Department of Health (DOH) warning against heat-related illnesses such as heat cramps and heat stroke.
The municipality of Guiuan in Eastern Samar logged the highest heat index yesterday at 46 degrees Celsius, well within the “danger level” of 42 to 51°C.
The country’s heat index measures what a temperature feels like, taking into account the humidity levels.
The index was expected to reach the “danger” level of 43°C in Metro Manila on Wednesday, with similar levels in a dozen other areas of the country, the state weather forecaster said.
Local officials across Luzon mainland, the Visayas, and Mindanao suspended in-person classes or shortened school hours due to intense heat, the Department of Education said.
Primary and secondary schools in Quezon City were also ordered to suspend classes, while those in other areas were given the option by local officials to shift to remote learning.
The Division of City Schools of Manila also allowed public school teachers and students to wear comfortable clothes amid the sweltering heat.
Mayor Dale Malapitan said public schools in Caloocan City will impose blended learning for afternoon classes in all levels due to extreme heat.
DepEd-Calabarzon also advised school administrators that they may shift to distance learning “to avoid putting the learners’ and teachers’ health at risk” in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.
The DOH warned that temperatures ranging from 33 to 51°C may cause heat-related illnesses.
“Such temperatures can lead to heat cramps and heat exhaustion, characterized by symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, headache, vomiting, and light-headedness,” the department said.
“Prolonged heat exposure increases the probability of heat stroke, a serious condition characterized by loss of consciousness, confusion, or seizures, which can be deadly if left untreated,” the DOH said.
March, April and May are typically the driest months in the Philippines, but this year conditions have been worsened by the El Niño.