• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Face-to-face classes in some schools in Negros Occidental have been suspended Thursday (March 6) and Friday (March 7) as the state weather bureau PAGASA forecasted the heat index to reach as high 40 to 41 degrees celsius.
Classes from pre-school to senior high school, both in private and public schools, in the highly-urbanized Bacolod City were suspended for two days.
In a memorandum, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said that private schools with air conditioned rooms and tertiary level institutions, however, may exercise their discretion to continue with face-to-face classes.
Similarly, classes and school work in all levels for both public and private schools in the cities of Himamaylan and Kabankalan were suspended on Thursday.
Himamaylan City Mayor Raymund Rogelio Tongson said that modular distance learning will be implemented as an alternative.
In Kabankalan City, classes resume Friday, based on the memorandum of Mayor Benjie Miranda.
Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez also suspended classes in all levels in Victorias City effective Friday.
The Department of Education District of E.B. Magalona adopted a blended learning with face-to-face classes from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and modular classes from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Irene Bel Ploteña, head of the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division of Negros Occidental, said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, in a meeting, advised that everyone should be vigilant on the rising temperatures as it will cause ailments.
Ploteña added that the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has not yet officially declared the onset of summer season in the country.
“We are still under the La Niña phenomenon even as the country is experiencing a rise of heat index,” she added.
She also said there is still minimal effect compared to last year’s El Niño phenomenon.
Health Undersecretary Mary Ann Maestral, in an interview with the local media, said that the heat being experienced by the country may be an indication of the start of the summer season.
Maestral said ailments that are caused by the high temperature are heat stroke, high blood pressure and dehydration.
She reminded the public, especially those with hypertension, to stay away from direct sunlight from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., drink plenty of water and stay in well-ventilated areas. | GB
