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WITH RELENTLESS HEAT, CAN KIDS TRULY LEARN? www.businessmirror.com.ph
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Sunday, May 18, 2025 Vol. 20 No. 217
P25.00 nationwide | 2 sections 12 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK
TO BEAT THE HEAT Solar panels are installed on the roof of Commonwealth High School in Quezon City on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, as part of efforts to make campuses more resilient to climate change. Education Secretary Sonny Angara is encouraging schools nationwide to adopt renewable energy solutions, such as solar power, to help mitigate the impact of extreme heat on learning. NONOY LACZA
OO hot to learn. As early as now, Save the Children and Vrije Universiteit Brussel are already sounding the alarm as extreme heat can make it harder for students to learn and will have a great impact on their health. According to a new global report, a global temperature rise of 3.5 degrees Celsius—a possible worst-case scenario—could put 93.5 percent of Filipinos born in 2020, or about 1.4 million children, to unprecedented lifetime exposure to heatwaves. Rexel Abrigo, Save the Children Philippines’ Environmental Health Advisor, noted that 5-yearolds are already staying indoors because it’s too hot to play outside— sweating, dizzy, and restless, as even summer break offers no relief from the dangerous heat. “And it’s just the beginning. They’ll grow up facing even hotter temperatures, with greater risks of dehydration, heatstroke, and other health problems. That’s why the Paris Agreement’s 1.5 degrees Celsius goal is more than a target, it’s a lifeline for children,” said Abrigo. The findings from “Born into the Climate Crisis 2,” an expanded study by Save the Children and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, showed
children in low-income countries such as the Philippines are among the most affected. The study was released in time for the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, which sets the long-term temperature goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. It also noted that homes and schools are often not built to withstand extreme heat and lack cooling systems, electricity, or running water. Many children in these situations will face “unprecedented lifetime exposure” to climate extremes, events so rare they’d normally happen only once in 10,000 lifetimes. Likewise, experts warn that avoiding this grim future requires ambitious and urgent reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. If the global temperature increase is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2100, the number of Filipino children born in 2020 facing extreme heat exposure could drop to 55.2 percent or just 843,834 individuals, the study added.
PROJECTED HEAT EXPOSURE
93.5% of Filipino children born in 2020 (approx. 1.4 million) will face unprecedented lifetime exposure to heatwaves if global temperature rises by 3.5°C. n
HEALTH IMPACTS OF EXTREME HEAT ON CHILDREN Dehydration n Heatstroke n Heat exhaustion n Fatigue and dizziness n Reduced concentration n
If warming is limited to 1.5°C, exposure drops to 55.2% (approx. 843,834).
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Child-focused climate adaptation
WITH this, Save the Children Philippines is currently working with children, communities, partners, and government agencies to expand child-focused climate adaptation programs in critical sectors such as Health, Education, and Protection. “Children did not cause the climate crisis, but they are suffering most from its impact. That’s why our programs are designed not just to protect them, but also to equip them with the knowledge and tools they need to survive, build resilience, and adapt,” said Abrigo. One such program is the “Child-Centered CommunityBased Adaptation,” which has reached 20,078 children, youth, and community members who now have critical knowledge and skills to build resilience against climate change. The child’s rights organization, through the “Building Resilient Futures” project, is also equipping adolescents aged 10-17 with essential green skills and supporting innovation labs in schools to enable mitigation and
adaptation action at the community level. Save the Children Philippines continues to partner with the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Climate Change Commission, and climate-focused organizations like the Oscar M. Lopez Center and the World Wide Fund for Nature to protect children from the impacts of a rapidly warming world.
DepEd’s take
FOR its part, DepEd said that its priority “remains the safety and well-being of our learners and teachers.” As temperatures soar across the country, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara has ordered immediate measures to protect learners and teachers from the sweltering heat. The DepEd has rolled out interventions to ensure learning continues safely, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s reminder to ensure uninterrupted learning despite environmental challenges.
DEPED INTERVENTIONS
Adjusted class schedules: 6am–10am | 10am–2pm (asynchronous) | 2pm–6pm n More breaks and hydration stations n Natural ventilation, fans n Suspension flexibility at school or LGU level n
To mitigate the effects of extreme heat, DepEd has instructed field offices and schools to take preventive actions, including adjusting class schedules, adopting alternative delivery modes if necessary, improving classroom ventilation, and ensuring access to hydration stations. “We are deeply concerned about our learners’ and teachers’ safety. We are closely coordinating with our field offices to assess the situation in schools and determine the best course of action given the extreme heat,” Angara said. Before the school year 20242025 ended in March 31, 2025, when scorching heat was experienced in some areas in the country, DepEd had advised schools to conduct morning sessions from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., allow asynchronous learning from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and hold afternoon sessions from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Additional rest and hydration breaks are encouraged, particularly in non-air-conditioned classrooms. DepEd also underscored the importance of keeping classrooms well-ventilated.
BM Graphics: Ed Davad
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By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco
Schools are advised to maximize natural ventilation by opening windows, removing obstructions that restrict airflow, and installing additional fans and cooling devices. Other safety measures include limiting outdoor activities during peak heat hours, ensuring access to potable water, and providing first-aid kits with cooling packs and emergency thermometers. Health personnel are tasked with monitoring cases of heat-related illnesses, such as heat cramps, exhaustion, and stroke. In terms of suspension, DepEd clarifies that—in contrast to policies to protect children during heavy rainfall or storms—there is no automatic suspension of classes due to extreme heat under its current policy. However, local chief executives may declare class suspensions in affected areas. In this scenario, schools will shift to alternative learning performance-based tasks, or makeup classes to ensure that learning competencies are still met. In case there is no automatic suspension of classes and in the absence of a declaration from the local government units, DepEd’s policy also allows school heads and ALS (Alternative Learning System) coordinators to suspend in-person classes if excessive heat poses health risks to students and teachers. Offices and schools are instructed to prepare and use selflearning modules (SLMs) and Dynamic Learning Program (DLP) tools in case of shift to ADM. Continued on A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 55.7770 n JAPAN 0.3832 n UK 74.2225 n HK 7.1451 n CHINA 7.7396 n SINGAPORE 42.9947 n AUSTRALIA 35.7196 n EU 62.4200 n KOREA 0.0399 n SAUDI ARABIA 14.8711 Source: BSP (May 16, 2025)