Iloilo beats heat with cooling hubs

HEALTH CHECK A health worker is stationed in every cooling hub put up by the Iloilo City government to assist residents wanting to rest amid the rising temperatures. The establishment of these cooling hubs is part of the city’s short-term response to the increasing heat index. —IAN PAUL CORDERO

ILOILO CITY—As daytime temperatures hit record levels as the country experiences the onset of a long dry spell, the city government here is helping locals beat the heat through the operation of three publicly funded cooling hubs.

The stations are designed as a brief respite from the sweltering heat, opening from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. There, residents could escape dangerous daytime temperatures, hydrate and rest for about 30 minutes.

Each hub measures about 15 square meters and can accommodate up to 20 people at a time, seeking to offer comfort and basic health monitoring for every visitor whose vital signs will be checked upon entry. A personnel from the City Health Office, paired with a barangay health worker, is assigned for every hub.

Success story

Inside the stations, visitors are provided free water and electrolyte drinks while cooling down in air-conditioned interiors powered partly by solar energy.

The city government had set up one in San Rafael in Mandurriao district, another near the Jalandoni pumping station, and still another at Plazoleta Gay. These started operating on May 6.

But beyond its service features, each cooling hub represents a success story in plastics recycling.

Neil Ravena, head of the General Services Office and executive director of the Iloilo City Crisis Management Council, said the stations used ecoboards made from recycled flexible plastic waste collected after the Dinagyang Festival. The recycled materials were converted into flooring panels installed inside every cooling station.

The stations were also built from refurbished and repurposed materials. Ravena said the city reused old chairs and utilized prefabricated container-type structures, keeping costs relatively low at around P19,500 for each hub.

The installed solar panels will allow the stations to run continuously for up to six hours, especially with plans to install water dispensers and expand health-monitoring areas.

Traffic enforcers are stationed nearby to assist residents and guide those availing themselves of the facilities.

Long-term flexibility

The stations were also designed with long-term flexibility in mind. Ravena said the container hubs could later be repurposed as rain shelters during the wet season, extending their usefulness beyond the dry months.

The initiative came as parts of Western Visayas continue to experience elevated heat index levels monitored, prompting local governments to implement measures aimed at protecting vulnerable populations from heat-related illnesses.