OVER 1 million Filipino students have been affected by in-person class suspensions due to the extreme heatwave.
According to the data of the Department of Education (DepEd), around 4,000 schools from 12 regions across the Philippines have shifted to online classes and modular learning.
PAGASA Weather Forecasting Center warned that the intense heat caused by El Niño will persist until the first week of May.
To avoid heat stroke, some farmers have shared their techniques for coping with the summer heat.
“You can get a face towel or a regular towel, dampen it with ordinary tap water, then place it in front of an electric fan for about 30 seconds—that’s called evaporative cooling. The water will evaporate, cooling the towel, and you can use it to wipe your face and shoulders. I tell you it’s very cool. It’s very effective, affordable, and cheap—it’s free,” according to Gerard Khonghun President, Phil-Asin.
Khonghun emphasized that as salt engineers, this is what they do to endure the heat—even when exposed to the sun.
“Because we’ve been in this business for a long time, we know that… we need to address that. So, one of the easiest ways to address that is to make a cold towel. That’s all you need to do,” Khonghun added.
The Philippine Association of Salt Industry Networks or Phil-Asin group estimates that the salt industry contributes around P400 million to the country’s economy.
This figure is expected to rise with the recent enactment of the Philippine Salt Industry Development Act, aimed at revitalizing the salt industry in the Philippines.
A Salt Council will be formed to ensure unified implementation of the salt roadmap and expedite the modernization and industrialization of the Philippine Salt Industry.
The government aims to make the Philippines an exporter of salt to other countries.
Amidst the extreme heatwave, the salt industry is among those benefiting.
“One, the salt industry is benefiting from an El Niño Year.”
“If you would like to take advantage of the hot weather due to global warming, I invite you to invest in the salt industry,” Khonghun stated.
