Iloilo City eyes cooling centers, more water vs worsening heat

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

The Iloilo City government is set to establish cooling centers and boost water distribution in areas with limited access to water as it continues to respond to the effects of the heat index on residents.

Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu on Thursday, April 23, said the city is gearing toward the implementation of short- and long-term plans to address rising heat, which has also affected the city in recent years.

She cited a recent seminar in Bangkok, Thailand, attended by representatives from the Office of the City Agriculturist, Office of the City Planning and Development, and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, which focused on responding to higher heat indexes.

“Our directive is to have short-term plans and long-term plans to address [the high heat index]. Everyone knows that the long-term plan is to plant trees,” Treñas-Chu said in a press conference on Thursday.

The cooling centers will be temporary structures that will be installed in areas that are yet to be identified.

“But aside from that, on our short-term plan, our team has identified [that] we can set up cooling centers around Iloilo City so we can provide good ventilation, especially to commuters,” she added.

The mayor said the city government has taken note of increasing foot traffic, especially in the city’s plazas, which are potential sites for cooling centers.

“If you may be in Jaro Plaza waiting for your ride, we can put a cooling center there where there is better ventilation. We can’t use [air conditioners] because you come from the heat outside and you might get sick. But, [with] just a little bit lower [of a] temperature, good ventilation, and water stations in the city,” she said.

These interventions are just part of the full plan, which a team is set to present to the mayor on Monday, April 27.

The team is composed of representatives from the city government’s Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources, and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management offices, with additional support from the City Health Office.