Philippines heat index & it's impact among farmer

Filipino farmers, fisherfolk most vulnerable to heat-related illnesses due to climate changeINFO

An expert says prolonged heat exposure increases the vulnerability of farmers and fisherfolk to 'climate-
sensitive' illnesses, such as heat stress and heat strokeAURORA, Philippines – As global temperatures
continue to rise, Filipino farmers and fisherfolk communities bear the brunt of extreme heat conditions.
Climate change, which increases temperature and frequency of extreme heat events, will cause more
heat-related illnesses and mortality among vulnerable populations. Prolonged heat exposure increases
the vulnerability of farmers and fisherfolk to “climate-sensitive” illnesses, such as heat stress and heat
stroke, according to Glenn Paraso, a health consultant to the Philippines’ Climate Change Commission.
“Heat stroke is the dehydration of the body at a very fast rate due to time and exposure,” Paraso said.
When when subjected to heat beyond the normal body temperature, a person experiences heat
exhaustion and stress. Internal body temperature is balanced with external heat through perspiration.
With continued exposure to extreme heat, increase in perspiration, and extreme dehydration, the body
cells would rupture and potentially cause heat-attributed mortality. Vulnerability to heat-related
illnesses Fisherfolk and farmers are equally at risk to climate-sensitive illnesses due to their prolonged
exposure to heat in large volumes when out at sea and on the field. Increase in temperatures and heat
events will exacerbate pre-existing health conditions, such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases,
and will expose children and elderly population more prone to heat-related illnesses. Among the
residents of Dingalan, Aurora, affected by the increase in heat for the past years are Anita and Rofino
Tarzuna, who reside in Sitio Limbok. They couple have been experiencing increased effects of heat to
their health and livelihood due to climate change.

“Dumidiskarte lang. Para magtuloy-tuloy ang paggagamas mo habang mainit, kumukuha kami ng
anahaw, ‘pinapandong namin…para hindi masyado kami natatablan sa init,” recalled the 57-year-old
Anita, who ceased upland farming several years ago due to her high blood condition. (We try to find
ways. In order to continue farming under the heat, we get an anahaw leaf, we use it as a hood…so we
don’t feel the heat as much.) Extreme heat when farming has caused dizziness and loss of consciousness
to Anita.

MEDICATION. Anita Tarzuna shows the high blood medication issued to her by the local health office.
Photo by Kathleen Lei Limayo

Meanwhile, Rofino, a 62-year-old fisherman, infrequently goes out to catch fish during peak seasons.
“Ay, itong taon na ito matindi na ang init. Noong nakaraan lang nakalaot kami kaya hindi na ako
lumalaot nang araw, sunog na ako sa init…. ‘Pag araw kasi mainit, hindi ko na kaya ngayon. Sa mga bata
pa, kahit mainit [ayos lang], pero sa akin, surrender ako, hindi ko kaya,” said Rofino, who can no longer
endure the heat on the open sea. (The heat is really intense this year. Before, we could still go to sea,
but now I no longer set out during the day because of the heat. It’s really hot in the day, I can’t take
it anymore. It’s okay for younger people, but I surrender, I can’t endure it.) Anita and Rofino
have shifted their livelihood from fishing and farming to tending a small piggery next to their
house to avoid prolonged exposure to extreme heat.

IMPACT ON FISHERFOLK. Rofino Tarzuna, a fisherman in Dingalan, Aurora poses with the boat
he infrequently uses out on the sea.

Heat stress and heat stroke, due to extreme heat caused by climate change, had been hitting
coastal communities like Sitio Limbok. Anna Mekitpekit lost her husband, Juan, a fisherman, to
heat stroke on June 6, 2019. According to Anna, Juan survived the first mild stroke that hit him
while at the sea in 2018. Juan complained about the numbness of his half body. Thinking it was
a harmless body ache, Anna rubbed an herbal ointment on Juan to ease the numbness. Several
days later, Juan was rushed to the hospital due to symptoms of stroke. Juan experienced
succeeding stroke attacks in 2018, but the third stroke in 2019 took his life away. Mitigating
heat-related illnesses Paraso, who had studied the effects of climate change on public health
since the 1990s, asserts the direct impact of the environment to a person’s physical well-being.
“Our bodies are always exposed to the environment we live in,” Paraso said. Changes in the
environment due to climate change will therefore have a tremendous impact on the health of
an individual.

UNDER THE HEAT OF THE SUN. A farmer plows a rice field in Barangay Umiray, Dingalan,
Aurora. Photo by Kathleen Lei Limayo

To avoid heat-related illnesses, Glenn recommends constant hydration and rest for fisherfolk
and farmers working under heat conditions in a country like the Philippines with a temperature
band of 33 to 35 degrees celsius.

Extreme heat due to climate change poses occupational health risks to farmers and fisherfolk
and will negatively impact the productivity of labor-intensive work.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the increase in heat stress due to
global warming will cause productivity loss amounting to 80 million jobs by the year 2030. The
ILO study indicates that the poorest countries will be the most affected by diminished
productivity due to heat caused by climate change.

EXTREME HEAT. Fishermen sift through harvested fish at the shore of Barangay Paltic in
Dingalan Aurora. Photo by Kathleen Lei Limayo

Without serious climate action from world leaders, global temperatures are predicted to rise
from 1.5ºC to 2ºC of warming. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(COP 25) held in Madrid, Spain, in December 2019 failed once again to immediately reduce
carbon emissions targets of countries. This lack of climate leadership will continue to endanger
the health of fisherfolk and farmers who are exposed to extreme heat brought about by climate
change. Farmers and fisherfolk like Anita, Rofino, Anna, and Juan – who toil under the heat for
livelihood – will continue to be affected by conditions beyond their control. – Rappler.com This
story was produced with the help of Internews’ Earth Journalism Network.

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Philippines' Marcos suffers 'significant' drop in approval ratings

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his speech during a joint press statement
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MANILA, Oct 2 (Reuters) - President Ferdinand Marcos has suffered a "significant" drop in his
approval rating as soaring consumer prices in the Philippines undermines his support, a polling
organisation said on Monday.

The Pulse Asia Survey, conducted from Sept. 10 to 14, found 65% of 1,200 respondents
approved of the president's performance, down 15 points from 80% in a June poll, marking the
first decline in approval scores for the son of the late Philippine strongman, also Ferdinand
Marcos.Marcos secured a landslide victory in a presidential election last year in the first win by
a majority since a 1986 "people power" uprising that brought an end to his father's two-decade
rule. The older Marcos died in 1989 in Hawaii."Continuing increase in prices of basic
commodities and services and unfulfilled promise of reducing these," likely caused the
"significant" drop in the approval ratings, said Ronald Holmes, president of Pulse
Asia.Advertisement · Scroll to continueMarcos' presidential communications office did not
immediately respond to a request for comment.Marcos, who is also agriculture secretary, has
struggled to keep inflation in check, with the pace of price increases still outside the
government's 2%-4% target despite interventions like food tariff cuts.The annual rate of
inflation was 6.6% at the end of August.Last month, Marcos imposed price ceilings for rice.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of former president
Rodrigo Duterte, also suffered a decline in approval ratings, dropping 11 points to 73%.($1 =
56.60 Philippine pesos)Coming soon: Get the latest news and expert analysis about the state of
the global economy with Reuters Econ World. Sign up here.Reporting by Mikhail Flores; editing
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