If the Philippines had a deity, it would be Init . From March to May, the sun does not just shine; it wages war. The heat index—that cursed number that measures what the temperature feels like—regularly breaches the "Danger" level of 42°C (107.6°F).
As you read this, look outside your window. Is the sun scorching the pavement? Are the clouds gathering over the Sierra Madre? Is the mist rolling down from the hills? ulan init at hamog
And you answer by opening your umbrella, wiping your sweat, breathing in the fog, and walking forward. If the Philippines had a deity, it would be Init
Hamog occurs during the transition from the cold Amihan (northeast monsoon) to the warm easterlies. When the ground radiates heat faster than the air above it, water vapor condenses into tiny droplets. In Baguio or Tagaytay, hamog is a tourist attraction—a romantic veil that obscures the Taal Volcano. In the lowlands, however, it is a double-edged sword. As you read this, look outside your window
with someone who is currently complaining about the init , hiding from the ulan , or lost in the hamog .
Ang init ay isa pang epekto ng pagbabagong klima na nararamdaman natin sa ating pang-araw-araw na buhay. Ang tumataas na temperatura ay nagdudulot ng mga problema sa kalusugan, partikular sa mga vulnerable na grupo tulad ng mga bata, mga matatanda, at mga may mga kondisyong medikal.