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The daily commute becomes doubly exhausting in the hot and crowded streets of Metro Manila. Photo: kttn/straitstimes
believe that one reason for the productivity deficit of Filipinos is due to the country's intolerably hot weather. The entire globe is slowly warming, but the Philippines has already become too hot to handle. April and May are usually the hottest months, with average temperatures in Metro Manila hovering from the mid-twenties to the mid-thirties, in degrees Celsius (77 to 95 F). However, on May 14, Dagupan City hit a record high of 53 C (127 F). Several days later, Sangley Point came close, posting 51 C (123 F).
The question is: how productive is the average person at those temperatures? Sure, you can have an air-conditioned workplace, but not everyone can afford that luxury. And all those air-conditioners spew even hotter air outside while they operate.
Even an individual's restful sleep is affected. Researchers note that people sleep best between 15 and 19 degrees Celsius (60 to 67 F). The importance of a good night's sleep cannot be overstated. But instead of waking up fully rested and reenergized, Filipinos start their day with less vigor and vitality than their counterparts living in more temperate climates.
Therefore, it should surprise no one when we Filipinos come up short when it comes to worker productivity. But it is not just productivity that is affected. Everything suffers, our creativity, our learning, our critical thinking, our decision-making processes, everything!
As the Earth slowly heats up, this disparity becomes even more apparent. Filipinos are being hit by the double-whammy of intolerable living and working conditions by day and a lack of restful sleep at night.
However, we Filipinos can change things. We can start by recognizing the unique situation we find ourselves in. Then we should demand that our government use its vast resources to find ways to make our environment more livable. This would mean improved building codes and a change in population density regulations for businesses. It might also mean that all public transportation in high-density cities be air-conditioned. Schools and classrooms should meet specific temperature requirements year-round.
All this will require additional work for everyone. But it is crucial that this work be undertaken to improve our quality of life and economic prosperity. In addition, we should harness the over-abundance of sunlight in our country and convert it into clean solar energy, thereby turning a problem into a solution.
Not many are even aware of this issue, but it is crucially important, and we will need to address it sooner rather than later. We Filipinos are being held back because of climatic conditions in our country. But we can fix this problem. We must fix it so we can achieve so much more. Published 6/1/2021
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