So hot you can't breathe': Extreme heat hits the Philippines

Cecil Morella - Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — Extreme heat scorched the Philippines on Wednesday, forcing schools in some areas to suspend in-person classes and prompting warnings for people to limit the amount of time spent outdoors.

The months of March, April and May are typically the hottest and driest in the archipelago nation, but conditions this year have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

"It's so hot you can't breathe," said Erlin Tumaron, 60, who works at a seaside resort in Cavite province, south of Manila, where the heat index reached 47 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.

"It's surprising our pools are still empty. You would expect people to come and take a swim, but it seems they're reluctant to leave their homes because of the heat."

The heat index was expected to reach the "danger" level of 42C or higher in at least 30 cities and municipalities on Wednesday, the state weather forecaster said.

The heat index measures what a temperature feels like, taking into account humidity.

There was a 50 percent chance of the heat intensifying in the coming days, said Ana Solis, chief climatologist at the state weather forecaster.

"We need to limit the time we spend outdoors, drink plenty of water, bring umbrellas and hats when going outdoors," Solis told AFP.

Solis said El Nino was the reason for the "extreme heat" affecting swathes of the country.

Around half the country's provinces are officially in drought.

The northern municipality of Aparri endured a heat index of 48C on Tuesday, the highest in the country, and was expected to hit 45C on Wednesday.

The actual maximum air temperature was 36.4C on Tuesday, with 35C forecast for Wednesday.

"It's really hot here," Eric Vista of the municipal disaster agency told AFP.

Vista said a shower of rain on Tuesday night offered some temporary relief, but it was "back to being super hot" on Wednesday.

Sweltering temperatures in the capital Manila forced many schools to switch to remote learning. The heat index reached 45C on Tuesday and was expected to hit 44C on Wednesday.

In Dagupan city, north of Manila, university employee Edz Alteros said she and her colleagues no longer went out for lunch because of the heat.

The heat index there reached 47C on Tuesday.

"We get somebody to buy food and we eat inside the office," Alteros, 27, said.

"The air conditioning is set at 14-18C during the hottest part of the day, but we ease up at other times to prevent the aircon breaking down."

Global temperatures hit record highs last year, and the United Nation's weather and climate agency said Tuesday that Asia was warming at a particularly rapid pace.

The Philippines ranks among the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Joghurt, Kefir, Käse und Co.

Weshalb Sie mehr fermentierte Lebensmittel essen sollten

Stand:18.04.2024, 09:07 Uhr

Von: Clara Kistner 

Ob Sauerkraut, Essiggurken, Joghurt oder Bier – fermentierte Lebensmittel begegnen uns in der Küche öfter als gedacht. Wie gesund sie für den menschlichen Körper sind.

Kimchi, Kombucha und Miso-Paste stehen wohl bei den wenigsten Deutschen regelmäßig auf dem Speiseplan. Doch das bedeutet keinesfalls, dass nicht auch Sie täglich fermentierte Lebensmittel zu sich nehmen. Von einer Schale Joghurt oder einem Glas Kefir zum Frühstück bis hin zur Scheibe Sauerteig-Brot mit Käse und eingelegten Essiggurken zum Abendbrot – viele Menschen konsumieren fermentierte Lebensmittel regelmäßig, wenn auch unbewusst. 

Käse, Kefir, Kombucha und Co. – aber was bedeutet „fermentieren“ eigentlich?

Bei der Fermentierung handelt es sich um eine gängige Art der Haltbarmachung von verderblichen Lebensmitteln durch mikrobielle und enzymatische Umwandlung von organischen Stoffen. Dabei lösen Mikroorganismen wie Pilz- und Bakterienkulturen einen Stoffwechselprozess – die Gärung (im Lateinischen: fermentum) – aus. 

Joghurt, Kefir, Käse und Co. – fermentierte Lebensmittel wirken sich positiv auf die Darmgesundheit aus. (Symbolbild) © Cavan Images/Imago

Die Bakterien, die unter anderem im Lebensmittel selbst (z. B. bei Sauerkraut und Sauerteig) und in der Luft wiederzufinden sind, vermeh­ren sich während des Fermentierungsprozesses äußerst schnell und bauen sämtliche Kohlenhydrate des Lebensmittels größtenteils zu Milch­säure ab.

Das Lebensmittel dient in diesen Fällen als direktes Wachstumssubstrat. Bei Lebensmitteln wie Kefir, Käse und Joghurt werden meist noch Mikroorganismen wie Bakterien oder Pilze zugegeben. 

Neben Alkohol und diversen Gasen entsteht während der Milchsäuregärung auch ein saures Milieu, das das Wachstum anderer Mikroorganismen, die das Lebensmittel verderben würden, unterbindet. So wird es ganz ohne Zusatz- und Konservierungsstoffe haltbar gemacht.

So gesund sind fermentierte Lebensmittel für den menschlichen Körper

Fermentierte Lebensmittel wirken sich gleich mehrfach positiv auf den Körper aus. Zunächst sind sie für den Körper in der Regel leicht verdaulich. Das liegt daran, dass die Mikroorganismen die Bestandteile der Nahrung während der Fermentation bereits aufspalten. Diese Aufgabe wird dem Körper somit abgenommen. Und auch Mineralien wie Eisen, Zink und Kalium können nach der Fermentierung besser aufgenommen werden, erklärt der NDR. Zudem würden einige Fermente ein höheres Vorkommen an Vitamin A, B12, C, Eisen, Magnesium, Phosphor oder Folsäure enthalten als noch vor der Fermentierung. Ein regelmäßiger Konsum von fermentierten Lebensmitteln kann sich außerdem positiv auf die Darmgesundheit auswirken. Denn laut einer Studie der Stanford University würden fermentierte Lebensmittel die Vielfalt der Darmbakterien erhöhen und somit besser vor krankmachenden Keimen schützen. Allgemein würde so auch das Immunsystem gestärkt werden. 

Power woes raise alert in Luzon, Visayas grids

By: Jordeene B. Lagare - @inquirerdotnet

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 05:55 AM April 17, 2024

RED, YELLOW EXPLAINED According to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, a red alert is issued when the power supply is insufficient to meet consumer demand, while a yellow alert means the operating margin or excess capacity of operating plants is not enough to meet the transmission grid’s contingency requirement. PHOTO FROM NGCP’S FACEBOOK PAGE

MANILA, Philippines — The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) on Tuesday placed the Luzon grid on red and yellow alerts and the Visayas grid on yellow alert after 42 power plants either stopped supplying electricity or reduced their output.

The NGCP, which operates the country’s transmission backbone, said a red alert is issued when the power supply is insufficient to meet consumer demand, while a yellow alert is when the operating margin or excess capacity of operating plants is not enough to meet the transmission grid’s contingency requirement.

The NGCP issued a red alert over the Luzon grid, which started at 2 p.m. and ended at 11 p.m., which means rotational brownouts could be expected during these hours.

A yellow alert was declared from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. A yellow alert does not necessarily lead to a power outage.

NGCP also put the Visayas grid on red alert from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on yellow alert from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Unscheduled shutdown

The grid operator said 42 power plants in Luzon and the Visayas were either on an unscheduled shutdown or running below capacity.

In Luzon, 21 power plants were on forced outages, while three others were operating at limited capacities with a combined capacity of 2,477.3 megawatts.

Major power plants in Luzon that went offline included two units of Pagbilao (382 MW each), Masinloc 1 (344 MW), Sta. Rita (264 MW), Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corp.’s unit 2 (150 MW) and two units of Kalayaan (180 MW each).

In the Visayas, 13 power plants were on forced outages, while five others were running below capacity, with a total capacity of 779.5 MW.

TVI (169 MW) and KSPC 1 (103 MW) are among the unavailable power facilities. On the other hand, PCPC (135 MW) has been offline since February this year.

NGCP said the peak demand in Luzon was 13,024 MW, while the available capacity was only 13,537 MW. In the Visayas, peak demand was pegged at 2,440 MW as against the available capacity of 2,742 MW.

Energy conservation pushed

The Department of Energy (DOE) said it was closely coordinating with all power stakeholders to ensure that appropriate measures were taken to minimize the impact.

“While we continue to monitor and ask our power plant operators to work on restoring full operations, we can maximize our energy efficiency efforts as we go through this period of extreme heat,” Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said.

“Flexible work arrangements and other conservation measures would also be helpful. The extremely high temperatures have been affecting the operations of power plants in the grid,” he noted.

The DOE reiterated President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive for all government offices to take the lead in conserving energy and minimizing power use, particularly during this period.

Electricity consumption historically rises during the summer months, which this year has been worsened by the El Niño dry spell because of the increased use of cooling appliances.

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the country’s largest power distributor, implemented any manual load dropping (MLD) or rotating power interruptions within its coverage area for more than an hour.

“This is partly due to the help of our big-load customers, which collectively deloaded around 300 MW under the interruptible load program (ILP),” Meralco said in a statement.

ILP is a voluntary, demand-side management program of the Energy Regulatory Commission wherein big Meralco customers are requested to use their own generator sets instead of relying on electricity from the grid.

This helps prevent power outages in households during red alert situations.

When all companies in the ILP use their generators, more than 600 MW can be made available to the Luzon grid for use by small consumers.

However, NGCP said it implemented an emergency MLD or rotational power interruptions affecting portions of northern Luzon which was first implemented at 4:16 p.m. “to protect the integrity of the power system.”

Affected were the electric cooperatives in Benguet, Ilocos Sur, Nueva Ecija and Aurora.

Additional supply

A few weeks earlier, the DOE had assured the public of ample power supply for April, saying some power plants with a combined capacity of 300 MW would add to the grid.

Energy Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan had said that certain coal, solar, biomass and hydropower plants, mostly located in Luzon, as well as Unit 1 of the Mariveles coal-fired power plant in Bataan province, would be switched on during the period.

Philippine Fairy Tales (XXXV) - Philippinische Märchen (XXXV): THE STORY OF THE CREATION - DIE GESCHICHTE DER SCHÖPFUNG

THE STORY OF THE CREATION 

In the very beginning there lived a being so large that he can not be compared with any known thing. His name was Melu, and when he sat on the clouds, which were his home, he occupied all the space above. His teeth were pure gold, and because he was very cleanly and continually rubbed himself with his hands, his skin became pure white. The dead skin which he rubbed off his body was placed on one side in a pile, and by and by this pile became so large that he was annoyed and set himself to consider what he could do with it.

Finally Melu decided to make the earth; so he worked very hard in putting the dead skin into shape, and when it was finished he was so pleased with it that he determined to make two beings like himself, though smaller, to live on it.

Taking the remnants of the material left after making the earth he fashioned two men but just as they were all finished except their noses, Tau Tana from below the earth appeared and wanted to help him.

Melu did not wish any assistance, and a great argument ensued. Tau Tana finally won his point and made the noses which he placed on the people upside down. When all was finished, Melu and Tau Tana whipped the forms until they moved. Then Melu went to his home above the clouds, and Tau Tana returned to his place below the earth.

All went well until one day a great rain came, and the people on the earth nearly drowned from the water which ran off their heads into their noses. Melu, from his place on the clouds, saw their danger, and he came quickly to earth and saved their lives by turning their noses the other side up.

The people were very grateful to him, and promised to do anything he should ask of them. Before he left for the sky, they told him that they were very unhappy living on the great earth all alone, so he told them to save all the hair from their heads and the dry skin from their bodies and the next time he came he would make them some companions. And in this way there came to be a great many people on the earth.

DIE GESCHICHTE DER SCHÖPFUNG

Ganz am Anfang lebte ein Wesen, das so groß war, dass es mit keinem bekannten Ding verglichen werden kann. Sein Name war Melu, und als er auf den Wolken saß, die sein Zuhause waren, nahm er den gesamten Raum darüber ein. Seine Zähne waren aus reinem Gold, und weil er sehr sauber war und sich ständig mit den Händen rieb, wurde seine Haut reinweiß. Die abgestorbene Haut, die er von seinem Körper abgerieben hatte, wurde auf einer Seite auf einen Haufen gelegt, und nach und nach wurde dieser Haufen so groß, dass er verärgert war und darüber nachdachte, was er damit machen könnte.

Schließlich beschloss Melu, die Erde zu erschaffen; Also arbeitete er sehr hart daran, die tote Haut in Form zu bringen, und als sie fertig war, war er so zufrieden damit, dass er beschloss, zwei Wesen wie er selbst, wenn auch kleiner, zu erschaffen, um darauf zu leben.

Er nahm die Reste des Materials, das nach der Herstellung der Erde übrig geblieben war, und formte zwei Männer, doch als sie bis auf ihre Nasen alle fertig waren, erschien Tau Tana aus der Tiefe der Erde und wollte ihm helfen.

Melu wollte keine Hilfe und es kam zu einem heftigen Streit. Tau Tana setzte sich schließlich durch und stellte die Nasen, die er den Menschen aufsetzte, auf den Kopf. Als alles fertig war, peitschten Melu und Tau Tana die Formen, bis sie sich bewegten. Dann ging Melu zu seinem Haus über den Wolken und Tau Tana kehrte an seinen Platz unter der Erde zurück.

Alles ging gut, bis eines Tages ein heftiger Regen kam und die Menschen auf der Erde fast an dem Wasser ertranken, das ihnen vom Kopf in die Nase lief. Von seinem Platz auf den Wolken aus erkannte Melu ihre Gefahr, kam schnell zur Erde und rettete ihnen das Leben, indem er ihre Nasen auf die andere Seite drehte.

Die Leute waren ihm sehr dankbar und versprachen, alles zu tun, was er von ihnen verlangen würde. Bevor er in den Himmel aufbrach, sagten sie ihm, dass sie sehr unglücklich seien, wenn sie ganz allein auf der großen Erde lebten, also sagte er ihnen, sie sollten alle Haare von ihren Köpfen und die trockene Haut von ihren Körpern retten, und wenn er das nächste Mal käme, würde er es tun Machen Sie ihnen einige Gefährten. Und so entstanden sehr viele Menschen auf der Erde.

LPA outside PAR has slim chance of developing into tropical cyclone — PAGASA

BY LIZST TORRES ABELLO

Apr 17, 2024 09:08 AM 

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Wednesday, April 17 said the low pressure area (LPA) outside the country’s area of responsibility has a slim chance of developing into a tropical cyclone until the end of the week. 

(Photo credit to MB Visual Content Group) 

In PAGASA's morning public forecast, weather specialist Obet Badrina said the LPA off the southeastern coast of Mindanao has weak circulation, making it unlikely to strengthen into a cyclone.

However, the trough or extension of the LPA may bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms to Davao Region and SOCCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos).

PAGASA warned the public of flash floods or landslides in these areas due to occasional moderate to heavy rains. 

Over the next 24 hours, PAGASA said Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms. 

PAGASA also warned the public that flash floods or landslides may occur during severe thunderstorms. 

Meanwhile, PAGASA said hot and humid weather will prevail throughout the month, with higher air temperatures.

Badrina noted that the actual air temperature is different from the heat index, or the heat felt by the human body. 

Based on the PAGASA’s extended weather outlook from April 18 to 20, the actual air temperatures in some key areas are 24–36°C in Metro Manila, 25-33C° in Legazpi City, 17–26°C in Baguio City, 26–33°C in Metro Cebu, 26–33°C in Iloilo City, 26–33°C in Tacloban City, 25–34°C in Metro Davao, 24–34°C in Zamboanga City, and 24–34°C in Cagayan de Oro City. 

Moreover, in the eastern sections of Northern and Central Luzon, low chance of rains will be expected due to the effect of the ridge of high pressure area, or anti-cyclone system.