Students suffer in the Philippines' scorching heat

Bangkok Post Group

Sweltering heat in the Philippines can curb farm production, disrupt water and power and weigh on businesses, but it also takes a toll on students, hampering the Southeast Asian nation's efforts to catch up to its neighbors in education. - REUTERS

Transcript

00:00 Heat indices say it's felt like a whopping 122 degrees Fahrenheit in parts of the Philippines

00:07 in recent days, as El Nino ratchets up humid summer heat that began in March.

00:13 As a result, thousands of schools have suspended classes because of sweltering temperatures,

00:19 affecting more than 3.6 million students, according to official data.

00:24 It's another in a series of obstacles facing children in the Philippines, according to

00:29 an international study of education systems.

00:32 It scores among the lowest in the world in maths, science and reading, partly because

00:37 of years of inadequate remote learning during the pandemic.

00:41 Twenty-three-year-old student Kurt Mahuse is a senior in high school after his education

00:46 stalled during lockdowns.

00:48 Now he says the heat is unbearable.

00:50 KURT MAHUSE, Student (through translator): Here in the Philippines, it's extremely hot

00:54 now.

00:55 The heat burns my skin.

00:56 It's not like the usual summer heat that is tolerable.

00:59 Now I can barely stay long out in the heat.

01:02 LEILA MOLANA-ALLEN: It's part of a band of heat spreading across South and Southeast

01:05 Asia this year, exacerbated by El Nino and climate change, and it makes it harder for

01:11 children to simply learn.

01:13 According to Save the Children Philippines, children are particularly vulnerable to heat-related

01:18 illnesses, including dizziness, vomiting and fainting when exposed to extreme heat for

01:23 long periods.

01:24 And high school teacher Medea Santos says it's become a struggle to get through the

01:28 work day.

01:29 MEDEA SANTOS, Teacher (through translator): We are also affected.

01:32 For example, me and my age, when the temperature is really high, my blood pressure shoots up.

01:37 I have to make sure that I take my medicine every day for my blood pressure and maintenance.

01:42 When teaching, we are also affected because it is uncomfortable.

01:46 Because of the extreme heat, my back gets soaked with sweat, and, sometimes, I get very

01:51 dizzy.

01:52 REPORTER: Local media say the relentless heat is not expected to dissipate and has

01:56 a 50 percent chance of intensifying this week.

01:59 Students and teachers are worried about how much more learning they will lose out on,

02:04 especially in areas where access to gadgets and the Internet is sporadic and sparse.

02:09 The state weather agency on Monday forecast that temperatures in the area around Manila

02:14 could reach nearly 100 degrees in the next three days, while the heat index, what the

02:19 body actually feels, is expected to remain higher at a record 113 degrees, in the range

02:25 which it classifies as dangerous because conditions can trigger heat stroke from prolonged exposure.

02:31 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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