From October until November 15, Kristine, Leon, Marce, Nikka, Ofel, and Pepito made their presence felt in the Philippines, damaging properties, agriculture, and the lives of countless Filipinos.
Extreme weather conditions and the sudden rise of temperatures are among the most prominent pieces of evidence that climate change is indeed happening.
Severe weather patterns, particularly tropical cyclones and typhoons, have devasted the country six times in the past two months. From October until November 15, Kristine, Leon, Marce, Nikka, Ofel, and Pepito made their presence felt in the Philippines, damaging properties, agriculture, and the lives of countless Filipinos.
This year, Pepito was the 16th storm to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
According to the 2024 Western North Pacific Tropical Cyclone Prediction, a machine learning model projected that 19-21 storm systems will form this year, most of which will land in East Asia. However, the study also forecasted above-normal landfalls will occur in the Philippines and South China.
Another strong indication of climate change is rising temperatures, which have affected a substantial number of Filipinos in recent months.
Since the late 19th century, the average global surface temperature has increased by about 2°F. This was particularly felt over the last decade from 2011 to 2020 as the warmest on record.
Many parts of the Philippines sweltered in extraordinary heat during April and May of this year. The climate monitoring service of the European Union reported that it was 1.58°C warmer than the average temperatures during the pre-industrial period from 1850 to the 1900s.
In the Philippines, the highest recorded heat index was 55°C in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, on May 26, surpassing the previous record of 53°C in Iba, Zambales, on April 28.
As the country’s weather bureau, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has intensified its efforts to address the impacts of rising temperatures this year. PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando said that the agency has been constantly releasing heat-related information, alongside air temperature and heat index forecasts. These updates aim to raise public awareness about potential heat-related health risks and promote adaptive strategies.
Servando also claimed that PAGASA is working to improve the country’s heat index monitoring and early warning systems. The agency’s technical working group on heat index operational issuance is exploring methods and resources to address challenges related to the availability of data, he added.
