The Cebu City Council wants water stations set up in bus and jeepney terminals and stations to help prevent heatstroke.
In a resolution passed during last Wednesday’s session, the council asked the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) to set up these free water stations in public areas.
“One of the risk factors for the development of heatstroke includes inadequate water intake especially in hot environment and the precautions to take to prevent heat stroke is to drink extra fluids and to be conscious on the rise of the body’s blood pressure,” read the resolution authored by Councilor Alvin Dizon.
Dizon said these areas are usually crowded this time of the year with passengers going on summer vacations.
Dehydration combined with prolonged exposure to the heat usually leads to heatstroke, Dizon said.
The state weather bureau Pagasa said the country is experiencing a mild case of El Niño which will last until the middle of this year.
The council is also asking the Cebu City Health office and the Department of Health (DOH) to put up first-aid stations to help commuters and the general public monitor their blood pressure levels.
Sought for comment on the request, MCWD public affairs manager Charmaine Rodriguez-Kara said this has yet to be discussed by the MCWD Board of Directors.
She said they will need to know the time period the water drinking stations would be used and the safety measures instituted to prevent pilferage.
“The MCWD needs to continue to be an efficient water service provider to its more than 160,000 service connections because it does not pass on to the consumers the cost of water lost to leaks and pilferage,” Kara said.