Senator Christopher “Bong” Go called for stronger public health measures, workplace protections and support for farmers as the country prepares for a possible Super El Niño.
Go urged the Department of Health to establish clear protocols for preventing heatstroke, responding to heat-related illnesses and managing water-borne diseases.
He also called on employers and the Department of Labor and Employment to strengthen protections for workers exposed to extreme heat.
“When heat becomes severe, people’s health and livelihoods are the first to suffer. Protocols must be clear, responses must be swift and our hospitals and health workers must be prepared,” Go said.
He stressed the need to protect construction workers, delivery riders, farmers and other outdoor workers through adequate rest periods, access to water and workplace safety measures.
The senator issued the appeal after PAGASA warned that El Niño conditions could intensify later this year, bringing below-normal rainfall to some areas and heavier rainfall to others, depending on regional weather patterns.
PAGASA also reported declining water levels in several Luzon dams and critical water levels in eight of 13 irrigation dams in Western Visayas.
