Some Manila employees get ‘heatstroke break’

MANILA: Metro Manila traffic aides and street sweepers have been granted a 30-minute “heatstroke break” during the summer month of May when the temperature soars to 38°C or even higher.

The order benefits at least 30,000 traffic aides and street sweepers in the 16 cities and one town of Metro Manila, known officially as the National Capital Region, with a total population of close to 13 million.

In a related development, Chris Perez, the senior forecaster of the state-run weather bureau, advised the people to keep themselves hydrated, meaning make it a habit to drink water regularly as well as stay indoors as the heat index could hit 38°C or even higher in May.

Perez explained that heat index refers to the “human discomfort index” which causes the “apparent” temperature or what humans perceive or feel as the temperature affecting the body.

As such, the heat index could vary depending on what an individual feels and is different from the temperature forecast of the day by the weather bureau, Perez said.

“As much as possible, stay indoors if there is no urgent outdoor task or business,” Perez said. “If one needs to go outside, seek shelter from time to time and keep yourself hydrated by making it a habit to drink water regularly.”

On Saturday, weathermen reported that the heat index soared to 51°C in Dagupan City, Pangasinan in Northern Luzon, which was considered the highest recorded in the country so far this year.

The heat index, weathermen pointed out, surpassed the previously recorded heat index of 49°C also in Dagupan City on April 6. They warned that at a heat index of 51°C, this could trigger heat cramps and exhaustion and heatstroke with continuous activity.

Records from the weather bureau showed the hotest temperature in the country was recorded in the capital city of Tuguegarao, Cagayan in the Norther Luzon highlands on April 22, 1912 and on May 11, 1969 at 42.2°C.

Meanwhile, a memorandum order said the heatstroke break for Metro Manila traffic aides and street sweepers would be granted every 30 minutes each within an eight-hour shit with effect for the month of May.

But the memorandum added that if the heat index reaches 40°C and higher, those concerned may take another 15 minutes break each.

It pointed out: “The heatstroke break time shall be done alternately by those assigned to a particular area to maintain visibility for traffic enforcers and street sweepers and to ensure that field operations are not hampered.”