Senator Christopher “Bong” Go called for coordinated heat health action plans and stronger protection for workers and farmers as the country braces for a possible Super El Niño that may bring drier conditions in some areas, heavier rainfall in others, and added pressure on water supply, agriculture and public health.
Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, urged the Department of Health to establish clear national protocols for heatstroke prevention, early response to heat-related illnesses and management of water-borne diseases during the transition from the dry season to the wet season.
He also called on the Department of Labor and Employment, employers and private firms to strengthen workplace safety measures for laborers exposed to extreme heat, particularly those working outdoors.
The senator stressed the need to protect workers whose livelihood depends on physically demanding jobs under extreme weather conditions.