The current El Niño phenomenon has triggered heat waves, leading many local governments to suspend face-to-face classes, reverting to the pandemic-era blended learning modality. With temperatures showing no signs of immediate decrease, more suspensions are anticipated as the month progresses.

According to the latest data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, most parts of the country will continue to experience heightened temperatures resulting in “human discomfort index” with heat indexes between 37 and 43 degrees Celsius. The agency has issued “Extreme Caution” and “Danger” warnings to the public as prolonged exposure to heat can cause several life-threatening health issues, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and exacerbate pre-existing cardiovascular and respiratory conditions.

Beyond these immediate concerns, climate change also stimulates the proliferation of disease-carrying insects such as mosquitoes and ticks, heightening the risk of vector-borne illnesses like dengue and malaria infections. The United Nations (UN) warns that high temperatures and humidity, worsened by climate change and complicated by El Niño, can create stagnant bodies of water. These are ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Likewise, during humid conditions, adult mosquitoes seek cooler, shaded areas often found in human residences, increasing the risk of disease transmission.

In 2023, global dengue cases reached a whopping 5 million, with 5,000 deaths. The Philippines recorded over 167,355 dengue cases and 575 deaths in the same year. The UN attributes these cases to various factors, including changes in global distributions and behavior of mosquitoes, amplified ambient temperatures from El Niño, fragile health care systems, and political and financial instability in affected countries.

Similarly, the World Health Organization links approximately 1 billion malaria cases across 109 countries to climatic variations, specifically rising temperatures, humidity, and shifts in rainfall patterns.

Elevated temperatures also affect water and food security. Warmer water temperatures, coupled with increased flooding and droughts, raise the risk of water pollution from sediment, pathogens, and pesticides, allowing the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera.

In response to the ongoing El Niño in the Philippines, the Department of Health has cautioned against waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and leptospirosis, and vector-borne diseases such as chikungunya and dengue. These diseases can cause severe complications and even death.

Drought-induced water scarcity exacerbates pressure on food production. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the 2024 droughts in the Philippines have resulted in 44.8 thousand metric tons of crop production loss, equating to over US$31.2 million or approximately P1.76 billion in economic losses, affecting over 29.4 thousand Filipino farmers and their families.

The ongoing heatwave that is cooking the entire country provides hard lessons learned, underscoring the need to grasp the deep interconnection between climate change and human health. Extreme weather events like this jeopardize lives and livelihoods, cause immense stress and anxiety, halt economic activities, and hinder national development.

Certain vulnerable social groups, including children, the elderly, low-income communities, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions, bear the brunt of these impacts due to factors such as limited healthcare, inadequate housing, and socio-economic disparities prevalent in the country.

Given its implications for health and livelihoods, addressing the root causes of climate change and implementing adaptation measures are imperative. The draft National Adaptation Plan (NAP) of the Philippines identifies agriculture, fisheries, and food security, water resources, and health among the eight priority sectors for adaptation and resilience. The NAP outlines indicative strategies to integrate climate resilience into these sectors.

The NAP encapsulates the governments’ plans to greatly reduce the impacts of climate-related disasters and protect the livelihoods and well-being of Filipinos. By investing in sustainable agriculture, enhancing our healthcare systems, promoting sustainable land and water management practices, and improving our early warning systems for extreme weather events, the NAP aims to minimize the health risks posed by climate change.

Together with the government initiatives and projects, the protection of the welfare of our families and communities from the health risks of climate change is a collective responsibility. Raising awareness, staying updated on advisories, and concrete preparations about the link between climate change and health empower individuals and communities to take action, fight for their right to health security, and contribute to building a more resilient and sustainable future for all Filipinos.

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Earlier this month, we celebrated World Health Day which is an annual commemoration aimed at raising awareness about global health issues. This year’s theme, “My Health, My Right,” emphasizes the fundamental right of individuals worldwide to access quality healthcare, education, safe drinking water, clean air, nutritious food, adequate housing, decent working conditions and discrimination-free environments.

-Robert E.A. Borje