High temperature forecasts force Marikina to cancel Annual Grand Parade

Due to high temperatures forecasted by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in Marikina City including Metro Manila, the Marikina Foundation Day Grand Parade that is supposed to happen tomorrow, April 16, at 4:00 p.m. has been cancelled.

This measure is made by the city government of Marikina to prevent heat stroke incidents to Marikeños especially to those who shall participate in the Ka-Angkan Festival which is annually celebrated in line with Marikina’s founding anniversary on April 16.

According to the combined efforts of the Global Forecast System (GFS), National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), and US National Weather Service, the predicted Heat Index in Marikina City is expected to reach 36.7 degrees Celsius tomorrow at around 2:00 pm., slightly going down to 34.9 degrees Celsius at around 5:00 p.m. tomorrow.

Road closures announced earlier are now lifted and motorists will be able to freely traverse these roads, namely portions of Shoe Avenue, Sumulong Highway, JP Rizal, Marikina Bridge, and A. Bonifacio Avenue. However, despite the lifting of road closures in the afternoon and evening of April 16, the local government is also advising motorists to exercise patience while driving through the town proper of Marikina City, as minor traffic build-up is expected in the said area for the festival and Marikina Foundation Day Grand Concert.

With theme “Sa Kahapong Pinagmulan, Pamana Ngayon ay Kaunlaran”, the festival’s program proper will still be held at the Marikina Sports Center at 6:00 p.m., as well as the Marikina Foundation Day Grand Concert at 7:00 p.m. which will be followed by a fireworks display.

“However festive the event may be, the health of Marikeños is our priority so we decided to cancel the parade which may pose health risk to the participants,” Mayor Del De Guzman said.

This year, Marikina will be celebrating its 386th founding anniversary.

Marikina hailed for ‘zero leptospirosis’

Marikina City Mayor Del De Guzman lauds the prompt action of the City Health Office (CHO) in order to keep leptospirosis at bay after the recent onslaught of southwest monsoon in the city.

According to City Health Officer Dr. Alberto Herrera, the city has recorded zero leptospirosis case.

“We consider this a success since riverside communities in seven of the 16 barangays of the city were submerged by flood water when Marikina was hit by Habagat yet we managed to keep our city leptospirosis-free. We attribute this to the prompt action of the CHO that immediately distributed Doxycycline prophylaxis in the evacuation centers as well as informational flyers about the said disease,” De Guzman said.

CHO distributed Doxycycline prophilaxis to 2,436 individuals from the period August 21 until the 30th.

Leptospirosis is a disease that affects the kidney and causes death when not immediately treated.