Dealing with the heat

It is that time of the year again when we will bear the sweltering heat. As we are living in the Philippines, we only enjoy two seasons; wet and dry. This time, we are going towards the driest months of the year. Although the weather bureau did not explicitly say that there is El Niño, there is a high chance that we are heading there.

I still remember back in 2016 where we only went through El Niño. Everything was just too dry, too hot to bear. We were surviving with very humid weather. The farmers in the hinterlands of Bohol were struggling to look for water sources. The irrigation system could only store so much. Rain was scarce. That also affected groundwater sources for the major cities, not to mention that demand also increased during those times.

Nearly seven years later, it seems like we are going to experience that again. In fact, I went on a visit to the farmlands in Barangay Babag and found already-withered onions including chilis. The farmers who also do not have much were already worried that they would lose their livelihood in the next months. They also remember what happened years back, where they had to wait for the very hot season to pass.

Cebu City in particular promised to give aid to the affected farmers. They will be given hoses, water supply, fertilizer chemicals, and seedlings. The Agriculture office made sure that they have prepositioned everything that they will need. We are just unsure how hot this season will be and if what is prepared will be enough for those who rely on this for a living.

Whether there is El Niño or not, we cannot deny that the heat we experience today is different from what it was. It brings you to symptoms of heat stroke especially when one is not hydrated enough. We experience headaches and dizziness, which are also effects of the heat. Climate change is indeed real and should not be downplayed.

The next thing that other local government units should focus on is how to mitigate the effects of climate change. There should also be a consideration on how to lessen our carbon footprint so that we do not contribute to the very big problem. It may sound very motherly, but we can always do something to save our environment.

I do hope we can brave the heat. If it isn't raining hard, it is also very hot. We need all sectors to work on this very pressing problem, one that has been discussed even since before. Now that they are all getting real, it seems a bit late. However, there are still steps that we can take to lessen the effects. I look forward to the day when the breeze will be cool and the sun's rays will be enjoyed instead of hated. The next generation deserves the best, not a world that we destroyed.