Commuters, pedestrians, and joggers in Iloilo City can now find a brief respite from the sweltering heat as the local government officially opens its public cooling hubs.
A ceremonial opening was held on Wednesday, May 6, at the San Rafael Cooling Hub in the Mandurriao district to mark the official launch of the initiative.
Aside from the San Rafael location, two other cooling hubs have been strategically deployed across the city: one beside the Jalandoni Pumping Station along General Luna Street in the City Proper, and another at Plazoleta Gay.
The hubs will be operational daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., providing a safe haven during the hottest hours of the day.
Designed to offer comfort and basic health monitoring, the hubs are fully air-conditioned and sustainably powered by solar generators.
Inside, a water station is available where visitors can drink or refill their own containers for free to stay hydrated.
Vital signs will be checked upon entering the hub to ensure the well-being of every visitor.
To provide further assistance and care, personnel from the City Health Office and a Barangay Health Worker are assigned to each location.
They are on standby to assist Ilonggos, as well as local and international tourists, who wish to use the installed cooling stations.
With the expected influx of people seeking shelter from the sun, the city government issued a gentle reminder to the public: “Please be considerate—share the space.”
The appeal aims to ensure that everyone gets a fair chance to cool down, rehydrate, and rest before continuing with their daily activities.IMT
