ILOILO City — Extreme heat here has triggered a sharp spike in illnesses, with 569 heat-related and heat-associated cases recorded in just five days as the city’s heat index soared to a dangerous 47 degrees Celsius.
Officials described the situation as an “urgent climate event” requiring immediate intervention.
Engr. Neil Ravena, executive director of the Iloilo City Crisis Management Council, warned that Iloilo’s rapidly rising heat index reflects the growing impact of unchecked urbanization.
“The rise in our heat index has been truly aggressive. This is a clear result of rapid urbanization. Concrete pavements have replaced open spaces and greenery. Instead of trees absorbing heat, concrete reflects and traps it, making the environment much hotter,” Ravena said.
Data from the Iloilo City Health Office (CHO) showed the heat-related illnesses were recorded from May 4 to 8 — a significant jump from the 355 cases monitored during the last week of April — as residents grappled with blistering temperatures aggravated by rapid urbanization and the city’s growing “urban heat island” effect.
“The cases don’t just include direct heat exhaustion or heat stroke. We are also seeing a rise in conditions worsened by extreme heat such as hypertension, asthma, and skin irritations,” said Jennifer Castro, assistant department head of the CHO.
The increase pushed the city’s total heat-related and heat-associated cases to 924 over a five-week monitoring period.
Upper respiratory tract infections topped the list with 341 cases, followed by hypertension (155), skin diseases (148), animal bites (105), and pneumonia (79).
Ravena noted that heat index levels once considered alarming are now becoming increasingly common in the city.
“In the past, 41 degrees was already considered high. Now we are approaching 50 degrees. This is why we are treating this as an urgent climate event requiring immediate intervention,” he stressed.
Castro said health authorities have intensified mitigation measures, including the establishment of cooling stations and improvements in patient waiting areas across health facilities.
“To help our citizens, we’ve set up cooling stations and ensured our patient waiting areas are either air-conditioned or well-ventilated with electric fans. We are also providing water and oral rehydration salts so people can hydrate while waiting,” she said.
She reiterated the city’s advisory for residents to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun during peak heat hours.
“Our advice remains the same: limit outdoor activities during peak heat hours, stay hydrated, wear lightweight cotton clothing, and use sunblock or skin protection whenever possible,” Castro added.
Ravena said Iloilo City is now coordinating with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to benchmark its response measures against other climate-resilient cities around the world.
“I’ve been submitting reports on Iloilo City’s initiatives and current data. In return, the UNDP provides feedback and shares interventions from cities already coping with extreme heat,” he said.
Among the measures being studied are earlier school schedules and “hydration bells” implemented in some Southeast Asian schools to remind students to drink water every 20 to 30 minutes.
“These are practical interventions we are studying as we prepare for hotter years ahead,” Ravena added.
To address the worsening heat problem long term, the city is preparing 100,000 tree seedlings for a massive greening initiative targeted for July or August.
“I’ll be heading to Aklan at the end of May to secure the seedlings from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). But this is not just about tree planting. We are shifting to tree growing — ensuring these trees survive and mature,” Ravena said.
He admitted, however, that residents may only feel significant cooling effects from the initiative after about five years, once the trees mature enough to provide substantial shade.
Meteorologist Patricia Anne Constantinopla of the Iloilo City Operations Center said Iloilo has consistently experienced “Extreme Caution” to “Danger” heat index levels over the past two months, peaking at 47°C on May 10.
“It’s important to understand that El Niño is not simply about high temperatures. It refers to the warming of the Niño 3.4 region in the Pacific, which contributes to stronger weather disturbances,” Constantinopla explained.
“We are transitioning into the habagat season, which should bring more rain showers and thunderstorms by June. While temperatures may remain high, these extreme heat index peaks should begin to subside as rainfall returns,” she added.
Constantinopla also noted a 79 to 80 percent probability of El Niño developing between June and August 2026, although Iloilo is expected to return to normal rainfall conditions by late May as drought advisories are gradually lifted.
Despite the expected rains, city officials warned that climate change and continued urban expansion mean Iloilo must brace for hotter and more unpredictable weather conditions in the coming years./PN
