PAGASA cautions vs. Bataan Day heat woes

There is a high chance of generally fair weather in Bataan on Sunday, so people must prepare accordingly, said Nikos Peñaranda of the state weather bureau, PAGASA. (Photo: Dost_pagasa/ Facebook)

MANILA–Brace for the sun and the heat when commemorating the annual “Araw ng Kagitingan” or Day of Valor in Bataan province on Sunday.

There is a high chance of generally fair weather in Bataan on Sunday, so people must prepare accordingly, said Nikos Peñaranda of the state weather bureau, PAGASA.

“Bataan this Sunday will likely be mostly sunny,” he said, urging people to bring their umbrellas and bottles of water to protect them from the sun and the heat.

PAGASA also forecast that the temperature in the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) area would reach 34°C on Sunday, higher than the 29°C to 30°C which the bureau considers comfortable.

Peñaranda expects a similar temperature in Bataan, noting the province’s proximity to Subic.

PAGASA also forecast the maximum heat index (HI) in the SBMA area to reach almost 37°C on Sunday, prompting the bureau to warn people against possible heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Exercise extreme caution if HIs range from 32°C to 41°C, said PAGASA.

HI is a human discomfort indicator of what people perceive or feel as the apparent temperature affecting their bodies.

High air temperatures and high relative humidity will give high apparent temperatures or indices, noted PAGASA

Peñaranda said there might be a low chance of brief periods of some cloudiness, showers and isolated thunderstorms in Bataan this Sunday.

PAGASA urged people to remain indoors as much as possible, particularly from noontime to about 3 p.m. as these are the hours when temperature is generally at its highest

“Full exposure to sunshine can increase HI by 8°C,” it said.

The nation celebrates Araw ng Kagitingan, also known as Bataan Day, every April 9.

It was on April 9, 1942 when battle-weary Filipino and American troops surrendered to Japanese forces after defending Bataan for about 93 days.

Bataan was where the United States Army Forces in the Far East retreated during World War II.

Weakened, diseased and hungry Filipino and American troops maintained in Bataan the main resistance to Japanese invasion of the Philippines.

After Bataan fell, the Japanese transferred the troops to Tarlac province.

Part of that journey to Tarlac had the troops walking under intense heat.

Government data show only about 54,000 soldiers of the 78,000 troops that left Bataan survived the “Death March” and made it to Camp O’Donnell in Tarlac, languishing there as prisoners of war