CEBU CITY, Philippines — All classes in Cebu province are suspended beginning Friday, April 5 until further notice as the summer heat became risky for teachers and students to go out.
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia on Friday issued a memorandum, directing local governments under the province’s jurisdiction to cancel all classes until further notice.
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“Due to the unusually high heat index in Cebu province, posing a risk to the well-being of our students, all classes are suspended until further notice,” Garcia wrote.
“This decision aligns with similar suspensions declared by other Mayors within the province,” she added.
Since Tuesday, April 3, several areas in Cebu decided to allow schools to cancel face-to-face classes, and implement other modes of learnings, as the island province continues to suffer extreme heat as the El Niño phenomenon rages this summer.
In the past few weeks, the heat indices have reached dangerous levels, with some days hitting as high as 39 degrees Celsius.
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Prolonged exposure to heat index temperatures like these can result in heat-related illnesses such as dehydration, heat cramps and exhaustion. It may also potentially lead to fatal ones like heat stroke.
Meanwhile, the capital Cebu City left the decision whether to suspend face-to-face classes due to intense heat to schools themselves.