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Raphael Bosano

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171404753422620220204-arroceros-park-reopening-manila-GC-5632.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">People visit the Arroceros Forest Park in Manila on February 4, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/file </div>MANILA — A small pocket of lush in the City of Manila is the perfect respite for commuters and workers wanting to escape dangerous heat. Dubbed as the “last lung” of the city, Arroceros Forest Park boasts not only of tall trees and canopies and koi fish, but also of a much cooler breeze despite scorching weather.It is therefore not surprising to see students comfortably sit on the park’s pavements while taking in the view of the Pasig River and nearby Ayala and Quezon Bridges.“Nakakapaso na po ‘yung init kahit po sa sapatos. Kahit naka payong na po, sa jeep, sobrang init. Ang difference nila ay mas malamig dito kesa sa open area. Dito parang mas magiging komportable ka hindi kagaya sa labas na kahit nakapayong ka mainit,” said sophomore Justine Dazo.(You can feel the scorching heat even with your shoes on, under an umbrella, in the jeep – it’s too hot. It’s much cooler here in the park than in the open area. Here you can really feel the relief from the heat unlike outdoors where you feel it even with an umbrella.)<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/11/12/21/arroceros-forest-park-the-last-lung-of-manila" id="isPasted">Arroceros Forest Park: The last lung of Manila</a></div>He spend at least a couple of hours in the park along with his friends. It is after all a cheaper alternative compared to cooling down in malls and supermarkets.Estimates from a mobile phone weather app showed that the temperature in Manila’s Port Area on Thursday reached 37 degrees Celsius. The same app showed a three-degree drop in temperature in Barangay 659-A where the forest park is located.The Arroceros Forest Park Management said this only shows how important urban forests are especially since temperatures are expected to rise in the next couple of weeks.“Our green spaces absorb or deflect the sun’s heat and radiation,” explains Arroceros Forest Park officer-in-charge, Engineer Gideon Navarro.Manila’s resident meteorologist Christian Evangelista says they recorded the city’s highest heat index on Wednesday at 44 degrees Celsius.<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/04/26/23/worlds-oldest-tree-may-reveal-planets-secrets" id="isPasted">World&#x27;s &#x27;oldest&#x27; tree may reveal planet&#x27;s secrets </a></div>“A higher heat index is possible next week not only in the City of Manila but in the whole of the National Capital Region and the country,” he said.For many years, the important role trees plays in our communities have been sidelined by urbanization and development. But with a rapidly worsening climate crisis, it remains for communities to understand and imbibe just how badly we need trees and the protection they inevitably give to vulnerable communities.

A small pocket of lush in the City of Manila is the perfect respite for commuters and workers wanting to escape dangerous heat.

A small pocket of lush in the City of Manila is the perfect respite for commuters and workers wanting to escape dangerous heat.

Manila’s 'last lung' cooler than other parts of the city

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Manila’s 'last lung' cooler than other parts of the city

Raphael Bosano,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 25, 2024 08:19 PM PHT

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