The Department of Health on Monday belied claims it had recommended to the national government the closure of beach resorts due to a heat wave.
In an advisory, the Health department warned the public against a post circulating on social media that uses the name of the Center for Health Development Western Visayas on the closure of resorts due to a heat wave.
“The DoH would like to clarify that there is no such recommendation made by the department to the Office of the President,” it said.
In the social media post, the DoH supposedly recommended the closure of resorts on Boracay and other well-known beach destinations in Luzon and the Visayas due to the heat wave.
The post featured a logo of the DoH and “Region III” on it with “Western Visayas” below that. It also had the logo of the Office of the President.
In the same advisory, the Health department reminded the public to stay hydrated, wear comfortable clothes and avoid being under direct heat and sunlight.
Last month, the state weather bureau PAGASA declared the beginning of the hot and dry season in the country.
Extra precautions
The also reminded the public to take extra precautions as the country observes Holy Week.
In an advisory, the Health department urged those who will visit churches for the traditional Visita Iglesia to bring a handkerchief, water, sunblock, and umbrella to avoid getting sunburn.
The department said they should also check the condition of their vehicle, as well as of the driver, before leaving for their destination. Planning ahead will go a long way toward avoiding any inconvenience, the DoH said.
It advised pregnant women, seniors and the sick to stay at home, amid the expected high numbers of people going out on Holy Week. People are also encouraged to consume healthy food, exercise and meditate.
In a related development, the Philippine Red Cross said it will set up more than 200 first aid stations and deploy ambulances and roving units around places of worship, highways, port areas, bus terminals, tourist destinations, and gas stations across the country.
Likewise, the PRC said that it will mobilize over 1,000 emergency medical services personnel to man the first aid stations.
Heightened alert
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration placed its personnel on heightened alert at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and other international ports nationwide in anticipation of a huge influx of international passengers during the Lenten break.
In a statement, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the agency is bracing for a surge in passengers traveling in and out of the country during Holy Week. Border control officers have been alerted for any eventuality that may arise during the period, he added.
Additional personnel
He said the BI has assigned additional immigration officers at the NAIA to augment the number of agents manning the immigration booths.
Tansingco said the BI will ensure that services to travelers will not be interrupted or compromised, even with the sharp increase in passenger volumes. All port personnel leaves have been canceled, he added.
Tansingco has instructed all BI terminal heads to implement a stricter screening of passengers to deter any attempts by human trafficking syndicates to take advantage of the situation to spirit their victims out of the country.
The post featured a logo of the DoH and the term “Region III” on it and “Western Visayas” below it. It also had the logo of the Office of the President.
BI port personnel were also ordered to be vigilant in screening arriving foreigners to make sure no unwanted or illegal aliens will slip into the country.
The BI chief said the bureau’s electronic gates are fully operational at the airports, which allows for the fast digital processing of arrivals at eight seconds per passenger.
The bureau foresees a far larger number of travelers during the Lenten break in light of the country’s reopening of its borders following the lifting of Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Statistics show the number of arriving passengers at the airports between 30,000 and 32,000 daily, compared to 5,000 to 6,000 daily during the pandemic. The number is projected to rise to 40,000 from Maundy Thursday onward.
The bureau has fielded 36 new immigration officers who recently concluded their training at the Philippine Immigration Academy in Clark, Pampanga.