“In light of the latest heat index forecast… and the announcement of a nationwide transportation strike, all public schools nationwide will transition to asynchronous/distance learning classes on April 29 and 30, 2024.” – the department announced on Facebook.
The Department of Education oversees greater than 47,000 schools across the archipelago.
Some jeepney drivers also plan to stage a three-day nationwide strike starting Monday to protest the federal government’s plan to phase out the smoke-emitting vehicles that many Filipinos use to commute to work and faculty.
The suspension of in-person classes comes after Manila recorded its highest-ever temperature.
The city’s temperature hit a record high of 38.8 degrees Celsius (101.8 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday, in response to the state forecaster, and the warmth index hit 45 degrees.
The heat index measures the temperature you’re feeling, bearing in mind humidity.
The hot weather continued on Sunday, and lots of people turned to air-conditioned shopping malls and swimming pools for relief.
“This is the most popular I’ve ever experienced here,” said Nancy Bautista, 65, whose resort in Cavite province near Manila was fully booked because of the new weather.
Destination: Jeepney drivers within the Philippines protest against plan to phase out the vehicles
Destination: Jeepney drivers within the Philippines protest against plan to phase out the vehicles
“Many of our guests are friends and family. They swim in the pool to beat the heat.
The months of March, April and May are typically the hottest and driest months of the year, but this year’s conditions have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon.
“All places in the country, not necessarily just Metro Manila, are expected to experience warmer temperatures until the second week of May,” said Glaiza Escullar, state weather forecaster.
“There is a possibility that areas will exceed the temperatures measured today by the second week of May.”
Camiling commune in Tarlac province, north of Manila, recorded a temperature of 40.3°C on Saturday, the best within the country this 12 months.
As the mercury rose, 31-year-old Gerise Reyes planned to take her two-year-old daughter to a mall near Manila.
“It’s hot in the house. “It’s the warmest I’ve ever experienced, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.,” she said.
“We need free air conditioning to lower our electricity bills.”
Global temperatures reached record highs last 12 months, and the U.N. weather and climate agency said on Tuesday that Asia was warming at a very rapid rate.
The Philippines is one in every of the countries most vulnerable to the results of climate change.
