It was almost 10pm when I went out for a jog/brisk walk last Saturday night to have a “me time,” clear my mind, and well, to burn some calories. I initially planned to go out earlier but errands, dinner time, and some “issues” hindered my schedule.

Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly because it has been going on for weeks now), the wind was quite warm and dry with some occasional cool gusts. I was expecting, because it was already late, that it’d be cooler. I was wrong. Still, I continued what I set my mind to do.

At that time, the street was empty with a few cars and motorcycles passing by. In front of one of the houses’ tall gates, a dirty white stray cat was drinking water from a repurposed Jollibee Chicken Joy bucket. I made a mental note of putting back a small container of water in front of my gate too.

At a certain length of the street, the streetlights were hardly enough to brighten up the area, with no people and just a few cars and motorcycles passing by, so I just stayed alert and walked fast.

When I finally reached the long stretch of cemented road that was recently constructed and has become an exercise/walking place of several residents in the area (based on my observation), I heaved a sigh of relief. There were several people who were there. There was a van with doors open and family members (I presumed) having some bonding as they took in the night air; several were seated on the side of the road.

Some young couples were seated in different areas of the road. Three (3) motorcycle drivers were practicing. The drivers of two (2) cars, one black and one pine green, were also practicing as seen from their slow turns and several back-and-forths. A few were really exercising. Two (2) male foreign nationals (I assumed because of their appearance and physique), the really tall and lanky one wearing a loose cream cotton pants and top, with a cream-colored cap, and another wearing black pants and white cotton top were also walking leisurely, so intent in their conversation.

After two rounds (roughly eight kilometers), I headed back home feeling more energized, with my body cooled by the sweat trickling down my temple and back.

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I thought of the past few weeks and how these weeks were the hottest I experienced. I was used to playing outdoors as a child — running, playing with kites, playing badminton with the neighborhood boys, playing “kagingking” toy guns and rubber bands with the boys–and even under the heat of the sun, it didn’t feel as hot as this season. I remembered the heat in Paris during summer and how it felt like the heat “went inside your bones” but that was still not as hot as the current temperature in Manila.

How hot? I stay in an airconditioned office all day, so I didn’t notice it at work except when I had to go out. But, the past days, when I ride a Grab taxi, it would still feel a bit warm even with the aircon on. I recalled when the hotness of the weather hit me was when I removed my shoes after work and I walked barefoot on the floor; it was warm! I touched the walls; they were warm!

In the Philippines, several onsite classes were suspended. Other schools moved school hours earlier in the day. The country’s Department of Health issued announcements and infographics reminding people to stay hydrated, raising awareness on heat-related illnesses, and sharing hotlines/ emergency numbers. Farmers were affected. Crops that took care and time to be planted are now wilting under the extreme heat. In some cases, the heat led to health problems and worse, death.

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Philippines is not the sole country affected by the heat wave. In fact, several countries in South and South East Asia are experiencing the same problem. According to researchers, this is caused by the El Nino phenomenon and climate change.

To all readers, please take care. Stay hydrated. Drink enough water and fruit juices. Plant trees and/or join tree-planting activities. Limit going out or staying out when the sun is too hot. Take care of your pets. Make sure you give them enough food and water and shade.