Ang Pahayagan

BALER, Aurora-Extreme heat in the town of Casiguran in the province of Aurora affected the livelihood and farming of the residents wherein they experience a sizzling 60 degrees Celsius heat index on Monday, the highest so far recorded this year.

The effects of the sweltering heat recorded an extremely dangerous heat index is slowly being felt by the businessmen, farmers and residents in the said town.

Christina Maranding, owner of Christina’s Food house in Barangay Bianoan said in an interview that because of extreme heat, her business is now affected wherein most of the people are staying in their houses.

She added that orders are being provided not at the height of extreme heat to prevent possible heat stress or heat stroke or the dehydration of the body at a very fast rate due to time and exposure.

“Most of our customers are coming from 3 to 10 pm while deliveries of our products are rendered in precautionary measures due to extreme heat,” she said.

New Generation Farmers Association President Michelle Celetaria, said that there is problem in the farmer’s plants due to drought conditions because of limited or the loss of water in some areas in Casiguran.

However, she said that the municipal agriculture is continually doing their part through agricultural programs, financial aid, giving innovative technologies, technical assistance to strengthen their root crops, corns, rice (palays) among others.

On the other hand, livestock and poultry raisers are also doing some precautionary measures for various adaptation practices to prepare against the negative effects of extreme heat on their livelihood and business.

Meanwhile, Casiguran Municipal Agriculturist Leonisa Curitana said that so far there is an on-going assessment in the town to know the actual effect of the current increase of temperature nowadays which has a major factor for livestock animals to be prone to heat stress which can greatly affect the growth, reproduction rates and the eating habits and health of animals including in the effect to agricultural sectors.

“We will also use drones to assess damages in the agricultural sectors. We are also waiting reports coming from the Presidents of the different farmers associations,” she said. (Jason de Asis)