Hot Weather and Jeepney Drivers Strike, Philippines Closes Schools

Hot weather and a strike by jeepney drivers forced the Philippines to suspend face-to-face learning at 47,000 schools.

AP/AARON FAVILA

A child is splashed with water in the heat that blankets Manila, Philippines, April 26, 2024.

MANILA, SUNDAY - The Philippine government has decided to close public schools for the next two days, starting Monday (29/4/2024). Extreme weather and a nationwide strike by jeepney drivers underpinned the decision.

"Considering the latest heat index forecasts and the announcement of a national transportation strike, all public schools throughout the country will implement distance learning classes on April 29th and 30th, 2024," said the National Department of Education of the Philippines on Sunday (28/4/2024) through their Facebook social media account.

The decision will impact more than 47,000 schools across the Philippines.

Extreme heat has hit Southeast Asia in recent weeks, causing thousands of schools to postpone face-to-face teaching and learning activities. Authorities issued a health warning regarding the weather conditions.

Many schools in the Philippines do not have air conditioning, causing classrooms to become very hot. Crowded and poorly ventilated classrooms also add to the discomfort of students during learning.

Also read: Projection of Global Boiling and More Extreme Weather in 2024

The suspension of face-to-face learning activities occurred after Manila recorded the highest temperature ever. On Saturday (27/4/2024), the temperature in Manila reached the record high of 38.8 degrees Celsius, with a heat index of 45 degrees. The heat index measures temperature and weather humidity.

The heatwave continued on Sunday (28/4/2024), prompting many people to visit shopping centers and swimming pools to reduce the effects of the heat. "This is the hottest temperature I have ever experienced here," said Nancy Bautista (65), a manager of a resort in Cavite Province, not far from Manila.

He said that the majority of guests at the resort he manages are friends and relatives who need a place to seek coolness. Swimming and soaking in the pool are common activities for resort guests.

AFP/EARVIN PERIAS

A man takes a shower in the midst of extreme hot weather in Manila, Philippines, Sunday (28/4/2024).

Gerise Reyes (31) plans to take her two-year-old daughter to a shopping center near Manila. Both of them need cool air temperatures. Reyes explained, if they were to use air conditioning at home, the electricity bill is almost certain to skyrocket.

Also read: Thailand-Philippines Smoldering as Temperatures Exceed 50 Degrees

“It's very hot at home. "It's the hottest I've ever been, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.," Reyes said.

National strike

Aside from the disruptive weather conditions, the decision by the Department of National Education to suspend face-to-face learning is a nationwide mass strike action by thousands of jeepney drivers for three days, starting from Monday (29/4/2024). The protest was made because they are protesting against the plan for the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).

The PISTON Progressive Transportation Group will lead this strike until May 1, in conjunction with International Workers' Day.

"We need to go on strike to fight for our livelihoods in this sector. We have to take action," said Deputy Secretary General of PISTON, Ruben Baylon, on Saturday.

AFP/TED ALJIBE

Teodoro Caparino, the owner of a jeepney, poses in front of his traditional vehicle on January 24, 2024. The government plans to revitalize public transportation in the Philippines with more environmentally-friendly vehicles.

Metro Manila is slated to be the focal point of the protests, with key regions including Alabang, Baclaran, Sucat, Taft Avenue, Agoncillo, Monumento, Novaliches, Litex, Anonas, Katipunan, and Philcoa. PISTON, one of the largest jeepney operators, is coordinating with MANIBELA, another jeepney operator.

Also read: Strategy of World Cities to Arrange Climate-Friendly Public Transportation

Previously, PISTON explained their stance, advocating for the total elimination of franchise consolidation and PUVMP requirements. They have been fighting against this controversial policy since 2017.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has stated that the government will not extend the consolidation request of each operator to form or join transportation cooperatives, even though the Supreme Court is still processing the request from PISTON and other operator groups regarding this matter.

AFP/TED ALJIBE

The photo taken on April 5th, 2024 shows a "passenger broker," someone who is responsible for finding passengers and managing passenger flow on two jeepneys on the right and left to ensure they are fully occupied.

The current consolidation carried out by the Philippine Government is the initial stage of a program to modernize public transportation facilities to reduce pollution in large Philippine cities. The government intends to replace the Philippines' traditional means of mass transportation, the traditionaljeepney, with vehicles that have Euro4 standard engines.

A number of operators protested the action of the transportation department because a number of their members lost their jeepneyunits after their vehicle registration was transferred to a transportation cooperative.

PISTON Secretary General Ruben Baylon said that all efforts made by a number of operators, from sending letters to dialogue, had been carried out. "We are waiting for the decision of the DPR and the Supreme Court. As long as that doesn't exist, we will take action on the streets. "Street parliament," said Baylon, as quoted by the Philstar page. (AFP)