“Commuting one to two hours to school is unbearable. It has been very hot!” said a 16-year-old student from Cavite City in the Philippines about her recent experience of extremely high levels of heat index in her tropical country. Nearly half of the schools in Manila, the Philippine capital, suspended classes in early March due to soaring temperatures.

But temperature alone is not the problem. The key measurement is the heat index – which is what the combination of relative humidity and air temperature feels like on the human body.

Dr. Gerry Bagtasa, professor of meteorology in the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, explained that if the air is humid, sweat cannot evaporate but stays as liquid water, prompting the body to perceive the environment warmer than it actually is.

For example, if the air temperature is 38°C (100°F) and the relative humidity is 40%, it will feel like 43°C (109°F). This can lead to serious health risks, such as dehydration, fatigue, heat stroke or even death for vulnerable individuals.

Ms. Jorybell A. Masallo, assistant weather services chief at PAGASA (the government’s climatological bureau) explains that their heat index calculations follow the methodology developed by the US’s National Weather Service. This uses simultaneously recorded data on air temperature and relative humidity.

However, classes are often suspended after they have already begun. “It’s as if they want to exhaust students first before taking action,” another 17-year-old student from Manila told Harbingers’ Magazine.

PAGASA is currently implementing a new project to provide an early warning system of heat-related health risks for public school students in the National Capital Region (NCR), also known as Metro Manila. Containing nearly 13.5 million people, it is the most densely populated region in the Philippines, with about 21,765 people per square kilometre.

“There’s too many buildings and not enough green spaces,” said a 16-year-old student from the “highly urbanised” city of Ermita (in Metro Manila), who associated the extreme heat with the huge number of buildings occupying the area.

Cities trap heat due to the urban heat island (UHI) effect, mainly because buildings are made out of cement and concrete. Solutions include painting roofs and surfaces white, installing solar panels and planting trees. However, the increased use of air conditioning further exacerbates the heat, and strains the country’s already overwrought electricity supply.

The Philippine government aims to adapt to climate change and combat its effects through the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the National Adaptation Plan (NAP).

Ms. Paras said: “Children in the Philippines are bearing the brunt of climate change, yet are not being given the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the decisions and actions that affect them. The voices, perspectives and ideas of children and young people must be heard at the highest levels and taken seriously.” ​

She continued: “Many children and youth are already doing their part. Adults must recognize the particular vulnerability of children and put them first in their sustainability plans, budgets, and actions towards a livable planet.”