WITH THE HEAT broiling us with scorching vengeance, we should have some self-defense mechanism to counter its blistering effects.
Time to seriously think about conserving water. It is now a reality that several towns in the province and sections in Iloilo City have water shortage. The deep wells just dry up. And the Metro Iloilo Water District has troubles of its own even without water.
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This hot spell will definitely affect our health. Health guidelines dictate that we should consume at least eight glasses of water a day to take care of our kidneys, liver, pancreas, prosti…ah, prostate and our thirst. I guess, with the scarcity of water it might be difficult to comply with the regimen.
Hot weather boils a person’s brain. And who knows what pleasant thoughts surges from a fried brain?
There will be a surge of crimes related to alcohol. Understandably, because for lack of water alcohol seems to be the best substitute. And with no water to make ice cubes or ponsi with whiskey, people will get drunk quickly.
Have you tried being drunk in this heat? Well, getting drunk under the heat of the sun is the closest approximation to the burning coals of hell.
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To make matters worse, not only are you physically dehydrated but look at your PECO bill. Electrical consumption will go up. It is not a matter of choice. People are hotly coerced to turn on the air con to stave off dying from perspiration.
If you are blessed with only a slow-turning electric fan, the air will be as hot as the breeze fanned by the sun. You get a higher cost of electricity without any redeeming comfort.
But inversely, the foreign-gers love this hot weather. They brown themselves in the sun to take care of their half-baked anemic complexion. So, when they return home, their tan will be a source of pride and envy…that they can afford to take a vacation and torch themselves in the Flip-pines.
This is easy because they don’t bathe anyway. And water conservation is in their hygienic nature. In fact, some foreign-gers I know don’t drink water at all. It’s either beer, wine or whiskey. And as they say, water as a beverage isn’t worth a damn.
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Don’t move. That way, you won’t get hot. No problem if you are dead. But I can’t imagine a life without even moving…your eyes.
The malls, SM City and other air conditioned super marts will provide a welcome respite from the heat. But you are not the only one who has that idea. People are teeming at SM City not to do any shopping but to escape the heat. There are so many crowds that the air-conditioning does not seem to be as cool.
Some families have been malling since breakfast, lunch and closing time. You won’t miss humanity in the island of Panay. You see your town mates from Lambunao, Pototan, Dueñas, hear Karay-a from Antique; Akeanon from Kalibo…hay maghinala from Capiz, everyone is in the air-conditioned malls. This is one refugee center from the heat.
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Movie houses are also a good retreat. It is dark and conducive to sleeping, which is a way to forget the heat.
If you have a swimming pool, you can dump several blocks of ice in it. But this is an expensive remedy.
You can fly to Switzerland or Iceland and forever solve the heat wave. But then you have another problem…the ice and cold. (muzones_law_office@yahoo.com/PN)
