Pagasa: Cold front weakens,hot days in the country start

The cold front, brought about by the cold wind from the northern latitude, has weakened and this triggered the onset of hot temperature in the country, said the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration recently.

"Summer has already began. The northeast monsoon wind has weakened and Cebu will be experiencing hot days in the coming months," said weather specialist Alfredo Quiblat of Pagasa-Mactan.

Quiblat added that the rise in temperature might be highest in May, and most temperature increases has already been recorded this month.

He also cited that the hottest temperature that hit Cebu was 36.4 degrees Celsius on May 1977, while the hottest ever recorded in the country was 42.2 degrees Celsius in Tuguegarao on May 1969.

Nowadays, "Temperature rises usually at about 2:00 to 3:00 in the afternoon. So the public should stay indoors during these hours," he said.

The Department of Health, for its part, also cautioned the public that too much exposure to heat might cause common diseases, especially sore eyes and heat stroke.

DOH regional director Susana Madarietta said the summer days are also hit usually with food-and-water-borne diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid fever and hepatitis B.

Madarietta further advised people not to keep on rubbing their eyes to avoid infection, quoting the doctors' hackneyed admonition: "Prevention is better than cure."

To avoid heat-caused ailments, she said that one should not stay under the sun for more than three hours as this predisposes to sunburn, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Those who want to have tan should drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

Be sure, however, not to drink water and iced beverages of doubtful quality, and it would be better, if possible, to boil water for at least five minutes before drinking.

To stay away from other diseases, eat only those properly cooked food or those that are still hot. Leftovers should be refrigerated then reheated before eating them again.

The DOH further advises food handlers to wash their hands, before and after food preparation. If sick, they should not prepare food at all. - Jasmin R. Uy