With the highest heat index recorded in the Philippines reaching 46 degrees Celsius, and with life threatening illnesses associated to too much heat exposure outdoors and worst indoors, summer months should be reconsidered by the government as most ideal vacation break for learners.
The Philippines as a tropical country with the sun as a dominant weather denominator is appreciated by other nationalities because it’s one of their top getaway destinations in the months of December until March during winter season. For the past five weeks, my family travelled to Sicogon, Gigantes Island, Boracay and Sipalay and during our stay at Sulu Sunset Beach Resort, I overheard a conversation between German nationals who expressed their admiration in the Philippine climate describing it as “crisp.” Further, for us, who frequent going on vacation in summer, we understand where they are coming from because indeed summer is the best time not be worried about unpredictable wind blows while enjoying the pristine of beaches by island hopping and not be bothered by rain showers during road trips.
Although, our country is loved by others because of it’s consistent fair weather, summer on the other hand, is quite a disadvantage for Filipinos, especially for students who must report to school every day because the heat is intolerable which may cause them exhaustion while commuting or if the classrooms are not well ventilated, since electric fans are not enough to sustain coolness and comfort. In fact, based on the Department of Health, 118 students have been recorded suffering from heat exhaustion in March. Moreover, as per Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas’ Executive Order suspending face to face classes for over a week now and converting learning to alternative mode as protection for students, and with the recent announcement of the Department of Education to hold asynchronous classes for a week, we cannot deny that with these necessary adjustments implemented for the safety of the children, it is best for the Department of Education to realign the school year back to it’s normal academic schedule which opens in June and ends in March.
Public schools are not the only affected institutions, even private schools are, because classroom set ups are not mainly the concern but likewise when and how the students reach school and return home. Take for example, our pre-kinder school where all rooms are air-conditioned. Despite being comfortable inside the rooms, we also consider the travel time and situation of students because there are still who take public transportation, thus adjusting our schedule to morning only.
During a conversation class with my student, Dr. Lee, Vice President for Academic Affairs of English Department in Nazarene University in Korea, we discussed about why countries like Japan, Korea, China and those with four seasons are economically doing better than in the Philippines. His explanation was simple, “Because of the tropical weather which makes Filipinos sweat a lot and when it’s hot, it feels heavy to move.” Well, I definitely side with his opinion about this one. How much more in summer when continuous direct heat exposure can lead to several health conditions like dehydration, stroke, skin cancer, cramps, etc.?
Let 2024 summer be a reminder and a lesson this time that concrete solutions must be considered by the national government agencies, for families to have quality time on health and wellness instead of temporary resolutions on how we avoid killing ourselves from the scorching heat of the sun while classes are on going. Summer should be fun for children as it used to be and should not make them feel like a punishment. School break by April, please.
