Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan directed all government units in the city to draft a Heat Index Action Plan Matrix that will guide the city in coping with extreme heat.
As daytime temperatures soar in the metropolis amid the El Niño season, Lacuna-Pangan called on the city’s health office, social welfare services, and disaster risk reduction and management office to work together in the formulation of the action plan matrix.
“Manila’s adapted heat index system should indicate when residents shall be required to stay indoors, when outdoor activities at school and work shall be suspended, when face-to-face classes and onsite work shall be suspended, and when businesses that use a lot of water should reduce water use or limit their operations at night or temporarily stop operations for the greater good,” she pointed out.
She said the city government has to develop its own enhanced heat index system.
“We need only improve upon the heat index system of Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) that it is using now because it is incomplete. The PAGASA heat index system has alert levels or different temperature levels. Manila should have specific local measures at each alert level,” she said.
Lacuna-Pangan added that the city should be prepared with the normal incidence of dry season-associated illnesses like skin rashes, prickly heat, dehydration, dengue, heat exhaustion, food poisoning, and heat stroke.
She said Manila’s hospitals and health centers should be well-equipped for heart attacks, strokes, and disease outbreaks from water contamination because the water demand will increase.
First aid training at the barangay level will help the hospitals manage the surge of patients as first aid must be done before patients are rushed to hospitals, she said
“Suspension of classes and work is just a part of the preventive measures we will have ready. The Heat Index Action Plan Matrix I would like submitted to me for approval should be reasonably comprehensive. It would be best that it be ready for my signature as an Executive Order as soon as possible,” Lacuna-Pangan said.
Meanwhile, the local chief executive also cited the recent fire incidents that displaced thousands of Manileños.
“To improve our fire response and prevention measures, I also ask the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) for their inputs on what else we can do to prevent fires and respond better to fires. We have had several big fires already in the first quarter of 2024. We really must find ways to prevent fires caused by gadget chargers, faulty wirings, exploding LPG tanks and propane canisters, and unattended candles."
She urged the BFP, volunteer fire brigades, barangay officials, and health centers to be at high readiness alert beyond the usual, especially in administering to vulnerable residents such as senior citizens, pregnant mothers, those with comorbidities, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and persons with special needs.