The city of Manila, through the leadership of its first lady Mayor, Honey Lacuna, has come up with another first, not only in Manila but in the metro and the entire country, even.
Before weeekend, she directed the city hall’s health office under Dr. Poks Pangan, social welfare services under Re Fugoso and disaster risk reduction and management office headed by Arne; Angeles, to jointly draft a Heat Index Action Plan Matrix for the purpose of guiding the city on how to cope with intense hot weather.
The mayor’s order is very timely, as daytime temperatures soar in the metropolis amid the El Niño phenomenon.
The fact that Mayor Honey is also a doctor comes into play. She is fully aware of the harmful effects of the intense heat on the health of the residents of Manila, most particularly the senior citizens, persons with disability or comorbidities, pregnant women and children, specially babies.
Alongside the suspension of classes and work as part of the preventive measures being undertaken by the local government, the mayor says that the “Heat Index Action Plan Matrix” would be reasonably comprehensive and thus guide the city on what steps must be undertaken to safeguard the health of Manilans.
She stresses the need to improve on the heat index system PAGASA is currently using, because it is incomplete.
The PAGASA heat index system, according to her, has alert levels or different temperature levels and what she wants is for Manila to have specific local measures at each alert level.
She added that given the ongoing El Niño, we should expect more than the normal incidence of dry season-associated illnesses like skin rashes, prickly heat, dehydration, dengue, heat exhaustion, food poisoning, and heat stroke.
The mayor also mobilized concerned units so that Manila’s hospitals and health centers should be ready for heart attacks, strokes, and disease outbreaks from water contamination because many thirsty people have higher water demand. There should be first aid training at the barangay level because first aid must be done first before patients are rushed to hospitals.
As an added measure, the mayor said that the Bureau of Fire Protection stationed in Manila, the numerous volunteer fire brigades, barangay tanods and barangay health centers are also being placed under high readiness alert beyond the usual, especially for our vulnerable residents which include the senior citizens, pregnant mothers, those with comorbidities, PWDs, and persons with special needs.”
With Manila’s adapted heat index system, the city government would know when the residents must be advised or 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.
Congratulations are thus in order for Mayor Honey, for coming up with this unique and new idea for the sake of the residents of Manila and which happens to be a first in the Philippines.
