Independent singer-songwriter Bullet Dumas recently shared a suggestion of an Instagram user who encouraged Filipinos to provide water to riders delivering food or other items to their houses amid the continuous heat in Metro Manila and other areas.
In his social media accounts, Dumas reposted an Instagram story of Lala Cruz, who shared that people can help the delivery riders cope with the high temperature by offering them a cold glass of water.
“For those who are always having food delivered or (are) delivering items via Grab or Lalamove… Try to ask if the drivers want a glass of cold water. Almost always they say YES because this heat is just too much!” she wrote in her Instagram Story.
“Or offer to fill up their jugs. Let’s help them out in this heat,” Cruz added with a hug emoiji.
Dumas described Cruz’s tip as a “good” suggestion.
In jest, the musician added as a disclaimer that Cruz is in no way affiliated to courier service Lalamove.
“Nagcruz lang talaga mga lalandas nila. HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!” Dumas quipped.
He shared the same post on his Twitter page, where it has reached more than 3,000 retweets and around 8,300 likes. It also landed on Trendsmap, a service that monitors real-time local Twitter trends.
The suggestion was welcomed by Filipinos. Others shared their own initiatives to help the riders.
A Twitter user commented that she offers delivery riders water and a P20 tip.
Another online user shared that they have a “separate bottle” for the delivery riders, as well as garbage collectors, whenever they come by their house.
Meanwhile, a Filipino claiming to be a rider thanked Dumas for understanding their plight.
“Salamat sir sa unawa saming mga rider, nakakahiya man pero REALTALK po..huhu,” the online user commented.
Riders are out in the heat
Restaurants, food establishments and other services have shifted to delivery and courier services since dining out is not allowed under the enhanced community quarantine imposed over Metro Manila and some regions until May 15.
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Filipinos are also expected to stay at home so buying food and other items from e-commerce platforms such as Lazada and Shopee have become the norm.
These are transported to the consumers through various courier services such as Grab and Lalamove, among others.
Riders of these courier services are often fully clothed while they fulfill their obligations under the searing heat of the sun, especially at noon and in the early afternoon.
This makes them more susceptible to medical conditions related to heat such as heat stroke and heat cramps.
Heat index
The Philippines has been experiencing high temperatures since the start of the dry season in March.
The station of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services in Quezon City has consistently encountered heat index levels of more than 35 degrees Celsius for the past few days.
Heat index levels from 32 to 41 degrees Celsius are categorized by the state weather bureau to be of “extreme caution,” which means the potential to experience “heat cramps and heat exhaustion.”
A heat index is not the actual temperature of our surroundings but it is the “apparent temperature or what humans perceive or feel as the temperature affecting their body,” according to PAGASA.