Residents of Cagayan de Oro City were advised on Thursday to schedule their outings and keep hydrated to avoid heat stroke and exhaustion due to the ongoing heat wave in the country.

 

During the program ‘Department in Focus’ hosted by the City Information Office, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Department (CDRRMD) manager Nick Jabagat said residents should drink plenty of water and wear light clothing to ensure their comfort especially when going outside.

 

‘Avoid (sweet drinks and beer), just drink water (to keep hydrated),’ he said.

The CDRRMD is posting daily heat index recordings in their Facebook page and social media accounts for the public.

 

The city’s heat index had been averaging over 30 degrees Celsius since last March with the highest clocking in at 39 degrees last April 7.

‘Persons with comorbidities (like hypertension) should especially watch out and avoid going out at past noon,’ Jabagat said.

 

Jabagat also reminded the public to properly dispose of their garbage particularly lighted cigarette butts and even plastic bottles containing water.

 

‘Due to the heat wave, even sunlight focused through a lens can set grass on fire causing damage on nearby houses so we barangay officials should remind their constituents (to dispose of their wastes),’ he said in Visayan.

When asked if City Hall will declare a state of calamity due to the heat wave, Jabagat said the task force on El Niño contingencies formed by Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy had deemed it not necessary as of this time.

 

‘The parameters of declaring a state of calamity had not been met since the farming sector comprises a small portion of the city’s population,’ he said. Despite this, Jabagat said the task force set up alternative measures to help the city’s farmers in the upland barangays to earn income in order to cover their losses sustained due to the El Niño dry spell.

 

‘We encourage them to plant heat resistant crops since there’s no guarantee (when the dry spell will end),’ he said in Visayan. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)