Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) president and Quirino governor Dakila “Dax’’ Cua called on the local chief executives (LCE) in the country to focus on the re-greening of more spaces in their respective jurisdictions as a long term solution in combatting heat.
He renewed this call as the Philippine, Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported on Tuesday, April 16, that 24 areas across the Philippines are forecasted to fall into the "danger" classification due to temperatures ranging from 42 degrees Celsius to 46 degrees Celsius.
“Pagasa also said that most parts of the country are under the “extreme caution” classification, with temperatures ranging from 33°C to 41°C,’’ ULAP noted.
Even when scrambling for immediate solutions against the warming climate, Cua insisted that “we must put in place medium- and long-term strategies, particularly a more aggressive reforestation effort that will help cool our localities.’’
He cited a study recently published in the journal Science Advances found that for each decade between 1979 and 2020, heat waves have slowed by about 5 miles per day, and now last about four days longer on average.
It added that various experts have touted the "cooling effect" of forests and their role in countering climate change.
Based on the account of the World Economic Forum, ULAP stated that besides their role in absorbing carbon dioxide that contributes to a warmer atmosphere, the ‘biophysical’ properties of forests, including how they distribute light, water and heat, have been shown to make them even more cooling.
With the valuable information, Cua has recognized the role that green areas play in protecting communities against heat waves.
"A recent study found that due to climate change, heat waves travel more slowly and last longer. A lack of green spaces in our communities will be detrimental to the health of our citizens, so I appeal to my fellow local leaders to continue planting more trees for our welfare," Cua continued.
“Gawin po nating top priority ang pagpapadami ng puno sa ating mga komunidad bilang pangontra sa matinding init. Hindi na natin pwedeng ipagpaliban pa ito (planting more trees), dahil mas maraming kababayan natin ang malalagay sa peligro dahil dito (soaring temperature) (Let us make it a top priority to add more trees in our communities to combat the extreme heat. We can not postpone this because more youth will be at high risk because of this),’’ he stressed.