As the city sizzles
I’M pretty sure everyone feels like they’ve been gradually frying like an egg in a pan over flames because of this seriously worsening heat index, which has already exceeded 40ºc in Metro Manila, according to our climate experts at Pagasa. And while it’s impractical not to use any underwear—an idiotic suggestion by, naturally, one of our brilliant lawmakers—i’ve been moving about in my cotton T-shirts and pambahay shorts most of the time, that is, if I do need to leave the house. For press events, however, when I’m forced to wear something more than my regular house attire, my linen tops paired with white slacks or cotton pants have so far kept me a tad comfortable.
Since the temperatures shot up to sizzling heights, I’ve also started bringing a face towel, just in case sweat starts dripping from my face, an extra shirt to change into, and a small water bottle to keep hydrated. My everyday bag is literally bursting at the seams because of all these extra things I need to bring to survive this summer.
While many are quick to blame “climate change” for the rising temperatures, it is our penchant to cut down trees to give way for yet another mall or another condominium that is really part of the problem. We city dwellers are under massive attack from the concrete buildings around us, and the asphalt on the roads our vehicles cross daily. These materials absorb the rays of the sun, which shines at its fiercest this time of the year, and reflect these throughout the city and into our homes.
On the other hand, trees and vegetation lower the sufrace area by absorbing water via their roots, then releasing water vapor into the air, which help cool our surroundings. This is one of the reasons I’ve been assiduously nagging a number of our property developers to please, please, please allot large spaces for greenery on their properties.
In that part of Quezon City where I reside, our only remaining green spaces are the Quezon Memorial Circle, the Parks and Wildlife Center, the golf course at Veterans Memorial Hospital, and a small park amid the tall buildings of the expanse that is the Vertis North. The latter is developed by Ayala Land Inc. in a joint venture with the National Housing Authority.
That small patch of green called Vertis North Gardens is where I’ve been doing my steps lately. I have to wait a bit until the sun drops below the horizon before I set off for my walking exercise just so I don’t drop dead from the heat. I’ve noticed a few other people have discovered the area as well and walk or jog there. There are also children, who I suppose live in the condominiums in the area, and they play on the green grass. The kasambahays relax there, too, exchanging gossip while their charges (read: doggies) bark at passersby.
The garden does provide some respite from the summer heat, but it’s just too miniscule to cool the area as the buildings around take up a much wider space. That’s why I hope Ayala Land creates a larger haven for trees, plants, and of course people, and develop that space that used to host the ABS-CBN tent into another park. That area is fenced off right now, but I hear a metallic thump-thump within whenever I’m walking around. It will be unfortunate if it’s going to be another building. If not there, perhaps they can allocate another space for greenery. So, I have my fingers crossed.
DESPITE the dizzying atmosphere of late, there are a few good things happening around.
On my way to Makati via the MRT on Tuesday, I noticed a sight-impaired old man seated in the train. He was preoccupied with what I took to be a radio program playing on his phone, which is similar
I guess to how sighted people spend their time commuting to their destination, except they watch programs or surf Youtube/facebook videos.
As I was preparing to alight our train at the Ayala Avenue station, I heard the familiar crackle of the guard’s walkie-talkie as she radioed her colleagues for assistance. Remarkably, as soon as the train doors opened, another guard was already waiting to help the sightless man. She put his hand on her shoulder so she could guide him to the escalator and, I assume, out of the train station. I hope this isn’t a one-off thing and such assistance is readily available to anyone physically challenged. (Now, if only there were more working elevators in stations not just of the MRT, but the LRT as well, commuting will be much more convenient for seniors and persons with disabilities.)
That afternoon, as I made my way from the Makati Shangri-la, where I attended a press event, to the