The Don Bosco Makati Association of Past Pupils, Inc. donated a high-volume, low-speed fan to be used in the Versiglia Court of Don Bosco Technical Institute Makati last May 3. The initiative aimed to ease the burden brought by extreme heat. PHOTO COURTESY OF DBMAPPI
MANILA, Philippines — Excessive heat is indeed a big problem, especially for students who, instead of focusing on their studies, have to endure sweltering heat while juggling school work.
Even private schools, where one would expect air-conditioned bliss, needed the help of the good old electric fan to ease the burden on their students.
READ: Pagasa: Dry season temperature may have already peaked
One of those schools is the Don Bosco Technical Institute Makati, which fortunately received a donation of a high-volume, low-speed (HVLS) fan for its Versiglia Court from the Don Bosco Makati Association of Past Pupils, Inc. (DBMAPPI).
The fan, installed last May 3, will benefit the trainees that assemble in the court in morning and afternoon sessions.
In a phone interview with INQUIRER.net, outgoing Treasurer and Board of Trustee of DBMAPPI Monday Canillas said that the donation stemmed from a “need.”
READ: DepEd pushing for early end of school year due to intense heat
“The idea of the donation stems from a need to alleviate the present concern, especially during the summer months, which we didn’t experience as prominently before, but perhaps due to global warming, it’s getting hotter and hotter,” he said.
Two HVLS fans were also donated by the group in July, 2023, which are being used in the school’s Savio Dome.
In July 2023, two HVLS fans were also donated by the group which are being used in the school’s Savio Dome. PHOTO COURTESY OF DBMAPPI
Being proactive amid the heat
Videos of students bringing their own electric fans to schools can be seen on social media platform Tiktok.
@chachichaii_ Suspend nyo na pls hirap magdala ng electric fan sa school #fyp
Their goal? To beat the heat inside their classrooms.
But the Department of Education is not turning a blind eye to the dilemma, as just last April 30, it said it was pushing for an earlier end to the school year 2024 to 2025 due to the intense heat that affects learners.
Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas said that DepEd had submitted a letter to the Office of the President regarding their proposal.
Meanwhile, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration climate monitoring and prediction section chief Ana Liza Solis said on May 6 that the country may have already logged the highest actual temperature for 2024.
But she noted that the public must not be complacent, as there is still a 50 percent probability that the country will log a higher temperature until the end of the first two weeks of May.