Staying indoors as much as possible is the mantra at the moment, with the heat index soaring to what health authorities described as dangerous levels.
The soaring heat index we’re now experiencing reminds me of the soundtrack “The Heat Is On” from “Beverly Hills Cop” television series popularized by Glenn Frey.
Feel the heat! Yes, Virginia, the “heat is on, on the street, inside your head, on every beat… deep inside, the pressure’s high, just to stay alive, ‘cause the heat is on.” It’s El Nino at its finest.
To date, the highest heat index was on April 7 in Daet, Camarines Norte at 46 degrees with Aparri and Cotabato City at 44 degrees. Elsewhere in the country, you can feel the heat with the index ranging between 42 and 43 degrees.
And here in the Metropolis, the soaring heat index prompted the education department in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) to shift back to modular distance learning, suspending F2F (face-to-face) to protect both teachers and students from the health hazards arising from extreme heat.
Even the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in its latest economic outlook, acknowledged the “severe weather events such as a prolonged El Niño dry weather episode” we’re having right now.
As El Niño’s warm arms embrace us with continued and prolonged heat exposure, these could lead to heat cramps, exhaustion, and to a certain extreme, heat stroke.
Hydration is the most potent remedy. Water, it is! It, too, (W.A.T.E.R.) is an acronym of the friendly reminder given to us joggers and walkers by our local authorities in this side of the metropolis.
W – stands for wear lightweight, light-colored and slightly loose clothing, similar to advice given by House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Representative Janette Garin. Nope, I am not advocating the former health secretary’s recommendation of a no underwear policy in one's abode, particularly for the female gender to avoid fungal infection due to extreme heat. Fine, no malice intended, but to each her/his own.
A – avoid drinks with caffeine, and liquor, drink more water, instead.
T – take cold showers or baths to cool down.
E – eat low protein foods as too much red meat in your diet because this could lead to “meat sweats”, a colloquial term that describes a physiological response to consuming a large quantity of meat. Studies show that after consuming a large amount of meat, a person could experience meat sweats, which means excessive perspiration.
R – remain indoors as much as possible.
This advice I took to heart as brisk walking is my form of exercise. Instead of taking the side streets of the urban jungle of Makati’s Central Business District as well as going around the Ayala Triangle, which by the way has several new restaurants, the air-conditioned mall has become the alternative walking area.
I observed that the scourging heat has changed the preference of some walkers and joggers going around the Ayala Triangle. The number of joggers and walkers has diminished compared to the first two months of the year when the weather was relatively cooler.
Instead, air-conditioned malls have become the alternatives – from Greenbelt 5 crossing over to Landmark in Glorietta and finally either ending up in Rustan’s or SM. This way, you don’t have to worry of physical exhaustion due to extreme heat.
The problem, though, is the extreme heat that hits my pocket and I am pretty sure it dents some of you as well. While some sectors of the economy, particularly agriculture, are feeling the heat, such could be compensated by the uptick in consumer prices.
Though weather phenomena – El Nino and La Nina – may exert inflationary pressures that may dampen growth, ADB Philippines Country Director Pavit Ramachandran believes that the country’s “growth momentum is picking up speed, driven by the government’s efforts to improve budget execution, mobilize additional revenue, and pursue reforms to boost the investment climate.”
For now, business is brisk at the malls.
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