Tayabas City extends on-site class suspension till April 30 (Tuesday)

A woman cools off with a folding hand fan inside a passenger jeepney in Manila on April 25, 2024. Extreme heat is scorching parts of South and Southeast Asia, prompting health warnings from authorities as high temperatures are recorded across the region. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

LUCENA CITY — The local government of Tayabas City in Quezon province extended the suspension of in-person classes in public and private schools on Monday and Tuesday (April 29 and 30) to protect students and teachers amid forecasts of dangerous heat indices.

“The suspension of face-to-face classes is a precautionary measure to avoid any untoward incident that may (put at) risk the well-being of both the students and teachers,” the City Public Information Office announced on its Facebook page on Sunday at noontime.

The authorities noted the heat index forecast in the city for the coming days “remains at a dangerous level of 42 degrees Celsius.”

“The school management is, therefore, instructed to adopt other measures and learning modalities in order not to affect the school calendar,” the authorities said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the “danger” category on the heat index ranges from 42 to 51 °C.

Heat index under the “danger” category can cause heat cramps and heat exhaustion, while heat stroke is probable with continued exposure to the sun and heat.

Last Thursday and Friday (April 25 and 26), Mayor Maria Lourdes Reynoso-Pontioso suspended the in-person classes in all schools in the locality due to extreme heat.

The mayor reported there were students who experienced nose bleeding while they were inside the classrooms.