St. Philomene of Alacala, Inc.

Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Introduction

As a country with a tropical climate characterized by high

temperatures and humidity, the effects of climate change have

become evident, leading to devastating disasters and abrupt

changes in people's lives. Climate change refers to the long-term

alteration of average weather patterns that define Earth's local,

regional, and global climates. These changes have a wide range of

observed effects that are synonymous with the term. The heat

index is a measure of how hot it really feels outside, when

humidity and other factors are considered along with the

temperature.(Kimberly McMahon)

High heat index is one of the recent issues our country has

been facing nowadays, as the temperature has been rising rapidly,

affecting the academic performance of senior high school

students. Academic performance is a crucial measure of student

achievement across various subjects. It is typically assessed

through classroom performance, graduation rates, and standardized

test results. However, due to the extreme heat caused by climate

change, the academic performance of students seemed to be

lacking. In recent decades, concern over climate change has

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spread to every country. Climate change is occurring now as a

result of human

activity, and as a result of the observed increase in greenhouse

gas concentrations caused by human activities such as the use of

fossil fuels and land use change. Greenhouse gases are trapping

more heat in the Earth's atmosphere, causing global average

temperatures to rise. Extreme heat waves are more likely to occur

more often and last longer as temperatures increase. Heat waves

can be dangerous, causing illnesses including heat cramps and

heat stroke, and sometimes death. Warmer temperatures may lead to

other global changes. This is because higher temperatures in the

atmosphere have had an effect on the oceans, weather patterns,

snow, and ice, as well as plants and animals.

According to Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and

Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) in May 2021, it

reached the extreme heat of 53 degrees Celcius, and when the year

2022 approach, it gained a dangerously recorded heat of 54.39

degrees Celcius on April 20, 2022, and a scorching 55 degrees

Celcius on May 2, 2022. Followed on May 12, 2023 which reaches 50

degrees Celcius at Legazpi, Albay, and this year’s highest

temperature was 53 degrees Celcius on April 28, 2024. The

Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services

Administration (PAG-ASA) continuously monitoring the temperature

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for the netizens to stay updated and to be well aware of the

harms and other danger it may give to us.

High heat index is a very serious issue, this gives threat

to the life of every human as well as animals and even for

plants. It is very alarming because this affects the whole

country, some people could not focus at work, animals are not

dehydrated enough, and plants are dying because of the extreme

heat we could not prevent. If the temperature continues to rise

rapidly, many lives will be at sake especially those who has a

heat related illnesses, such as heat cramps and heat stroke, and

sometimes death, even those children and elders who has a weak

immune system.

This also have a big impact on the education of students.

Academic performance is a crucial measure of student achievement

across various subjects. It is typically assessed through

classroom performance, graduation rates, and standardized test

results. However, due to the extreme heat caused by climate

change, the academic performance of students seemed to be

lacking. In recent decades, concern over climate change has

spread to every country. Climate change is occurring now as a

result of human activity, and thus as a result of the observed

increase in greenhouse gas concentrations caused by human

activities such as the use of fossil fuels and land use change.

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Greenhouse gases are trapping more heat in the Earth's

atmosphere, causing global average temperatures to rise. Extreme

heat waves are more likely to occur more often and last longer as

temperatures increase. Warmer temperatures may lead to other

global changes. This is because higher temperatures in the

atmosphere have had an effect on the oceans, weather patterns,

snow, and ice, as well as plants and animals.

In connection to education, one factor to consider great

learning is conducive learning. Hence, a well-ventilated and

equipped classroom could be a very helpful variable in helping

students keep focus inside the classroom during discussions.

Research indicates that students’ health is negatively impacted

by excessive heat, which inevitably affects their learning

outcomes instructions. It is relevant to know its basic needs to

prevent such particular problems. Basically, due to its causes

and personal experience of high school students, eagerly wants to

expect such particular solution to implement strategies that can

support students in coping hot weather conditions.

Extreme heat can cause physical discomfort, dehydration, and

fatigue which can affect students' ability to learn and perform

well academically. Proper ventilation is needed to help the

students to gain focus and comfort during classes. Knowing the

feeling of students during this kind of weather is very important

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to help them deal with their academic problems that they have

been experiencing because of the extreme heat. Enough supply of

water in every classroom is necessary for the students to stay

hydrated all the time.

Over 1.3 million students in around 4,000 schools nationwide

are affected by extreme heat as schools suspend face-to-face

classes and shift to alternative delivery modes. Aside from the

suspension of classes, DepEd has allowed schools to implement

several adjustments to ensure the safety of students and learners

amid unfavorable weather conditions such as extreme heat (Merlina

Hernando-Malipot, 2024). This is soon followed by Saint Philomene

of Alcala, Inc. This is done to ensure the safety of all

students. This study aims to understand senior high school

students’ responses to weather conditions particularly on the

impact of high heat index on their academic performance, as well

as on the behavioral concerns and parenting, in addition to

health.

Review of Related Literature

High school students on these past days, are struggling

because of the high heat index that cause a significant impact on

their health and academic performance. According to Philippine

Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration

(PAG-ASA), two areas in Cagayan Valley that experienced the

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highest recorded temperatures during the peak of heat index. The

areas that experienced the hottes weather in Cagayan Valley was

on May 12, 2024, were the town of Aparri, Cagayan and Tuguegarao

City. The temperature in the town of Aparri reached 49 degrees

celcius, while the City of Tuguegarao experienced temperatures

that climbed up to 45 degrees celcius. Last year, the town of

Aparri experienced a temperature of 49 degrees celcius again on

May 20, 2023 while the city of Tuguegarao recorded 43 degrees

celcius.

Because of these heat index recorded across the country, it

became very alarming to the public, especially to students and

school authorities. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and

Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA), considers heat

index higher than 41 degrees celcius hazardous. It is very

dangerous for humans to do outdoor activities and have contact

with direct sunlight. As the temperature continues to rise, most

students are at risk, from attending their classes, to staying

inside the classrooms with weak ventilation. These factors affect

students with their activeness and overall performance during

class discussions, and even from doing projects and outputs. Heat

affects students social and emotional well-being, it gives many

distractions affecting students’ ability on learning, making for

them harder to concentrate and keep on track with their

education.
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Temperature is already breaking new records this year, but

Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services

Administration (PAG-ASA), said that the worst is yet to come and

intense heat is likely to persist until mid-day. On the ground

the government on the private sector are already taking measure

to alleviate the impact of extreme heat on the public. Remote

working, which became prevalent during the height of pandemic, is

returning while students also get back online to study in areas

where schools are force to shut down due to rising temperatures.

The supreme court has ordered judges to check on the impact of

the heat. The shrinking gap between minimum and maximum

temperatures means less reprieve from heat during day time even

after the sun sets.

The index of heat has a significant impact on academic

performance of students. Research shows that elevated

temperatures lead to a decrease in the rate of learning. Heat

exposure affects cognitive skills, with hotter school days

reducing standardized test scores. Studies emphasize that high

classroom temperatures hinder student’s ability to learn and

function effectively. The negative effects of heat in learning

are particularly pronounced among minority student, contributing

to a portion of the racial achievement gap. Furthermore, the

presence of school air conditioning can mitigate the detrimental

effects of heat in academic performance, highlighting the

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importance of infrastructure in maintaining learning environments

conductive to student success.

Summer heat can negatively affect student learning, as

previous studies has shown that high temperatures in laboratory

settings have a negative effect on cognitive abilities. For this

analysis, the test scores of five different cohorts were combined

with city-level daily temperature data. To control for unobserved

heterogeneity, the test scores of students within the same school

were compared over time (school-fixed estimation). Summer heat

negatively affected students test scores. Specifically, an

additional day with a maximum daily temperature exceeding 34

degrees celcius during the summer, relative to a day with a

maximum temperature between 28 degrees celcius and 30 degrees

celcius, decreased the scores of math ang English test by 0.0042

and 0.0064 standard deviations, respectively. No significant

effects were found on the reading test scores. In addition, these

effects were larger in relatively cooler cities, but did not

differ based on gender. Finally, the previous year’s summer also

had negative effects on the current year’s test scores.

Causes:

1.Improper Air Ventilation of Classrooms:

Proper air ventilation is a big help to the students and

even teachers to be more focused on the discussions or

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activities. The students will have a more comfortable and cooler

environment that will help them to regain their activeness inside

the classroom. The World Health Organization (WHO), states that

good indoor air quality is crucial for peoples’ health and well-

being. Poor ventilation can lead to a concentration of carbon

dioxide, heat and humidity which can cause discomfort and health

issues among students such as headaches, fatigue and

concentration problems.

2. Crowded Classrooms:

The poor building conditions found in overcrowded classrooms

also pose health risk for students and teachers. Poor

ventilation, lighting, acoustics, and classroom temperature can

expose students to allergens, pollutants, and even chemicals that

affect health, attendance, and performance. Having more students

than its capacity inside the classroom will have negative impact

on the students, as the noise and hotness were combined together

giving distress to students especially for those who have heat

related illnesses. Classrooms are suggested to have 15 to 20

students, but many classrooms today have over 30 or even up to 40

students.

Theoretical Framework

This following establish theoretical frameworks help to

further explain the impact of high heat index on the academic

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performance of senior high school students of St. Philomene of

Alcala, Inc.

Research Paradigm

This section discusses the conceptual paradigm which shows

the relationship of the different variables that were

investigated in this study. The variables included the following:

1. Improper Air Ventilation. 2. Crowded Classrooms.

Figure 1. Research Paradigm

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

1. Profile
Variation
2.
a. age
The impact of
b. sex high heat
c. strand index on the
Correlation
academic
Analysis
3. Previous performance or
and current high heat
General index
Weighted
Average (GWA)

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Figure 1 describes the conceptual framework of the study

where the input consists of the following: Profile Variable, age,

sex, strand, previous and current general weighted average.

The process ensured the needed result of the study through

correlation analysis of the data collected. The targeted output

of the study is to know the impact of high heat index on the

academic performance of senior high school students.

Statement of the Problem

This study focused on the academic performance of senior

high school students of St. Philomene of Alcala, Inc. It sought

to answer specifically the following:

1. What is the profile of the respondents when

grouped according to:

1.1 age

1.2 sex

1.3 strand

2. What is the result of the students previous and

current average?

3. How high heat index influence the academic

performance of students.

4. What remedies or strategies do students of Saint

Philomene of Alcala, Inc. used to cope with the

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problems faced on the high heat index, and how

effective are these strategies?

Hypotheses

Based on the statement of the problem, the following

hypotheses were tested.

1. Is there a significant relationship of the dependent

variables (input) to the academic performance of senior

high school students?

Scope and Delimitation

This study focuses on Senior High School Students of Saint

Philomene of Alcala, Inc. The research will specifically target

select students of all strand in senior high school. This

research will also focus on how weather conditions, specifically

on high heat index could directly impact the academic performance

of students. And how students will cope with the discomfort

they’ve been feeling.

Significance of the Study

This study will provide valuable insights into the ways high

heat index impact student’s academic performance of senior high

school students at Saint Philomene of Alcala, Inc. It is

particularly significant for educators who are responsible in

making students have a better generation in the future. This

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study can also be a guide for future studies to develop an

effective approach to surpassed challenges from weather

conditions to make education even more achievable and successful.

Our country has been struggling to deal with extreme

temperatures. They’ve looking for better options and solutions

for students to be more comfortable and have a better

environment. This shows how students activeness dropped inside

the classroom because of extreme heat.

Students. The result of the study will help the students to

discover things that will help them cope with the discomfort.

This will also help them know how to regain their focus and

activeness inside the classroom due to extreme heat.

Teachers. Being the second parent of the learners and

someone who always sees the struggle of the students during their

discussion or activities, this study will serve as their

guideline to know what’s the better mode of learning and how to

lessen the discomfort of the students.

Researchers. This research gives the researcher valuable

knowledge and experience in the field of research. This is also a

way to help the learners’ on dealing with the extreme heat and to

bring their activeness back.

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Future Researchers. This research serves as their valuable

experience and guideline in the field of research. It will also

help clients with the similar perspective and problem to one’s

cited in this study.

Definitions of Terms

The following terms were defined operationally and

conceptually for better understanding of the study.

High heat Index. Also known as the apparent temperature, is

what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative

humidity is combined with the air temperature. This has important

consideration for the human body’s comfort. When the body gets

too hot, it begins to perspire or sweat to cool itself off.

Academic Performance. It is the measurement of student

achievement across various academic subjects. Teachers typically

measure achievement using classroom performance, graduation

rates, and result for standardized test.

Weather Conditions. The atmospheric conditions that comprise

the state of the atmosphere in terms of temperature, wind,

clouds, and precipitation.

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Temperature. Is a physical quantity that quantitatively

express the attribute of hotness or coldness. Temperature is

measured with a thermometer. It reflects the average kinetic

energy of the vibrating and colliding atoms making up a

substance.

Climate change. Long-term shift in temperatures and weather

patterns. Such shifts can be natural, due to changes in the sun’s

activity or large volcanic eruptions.

Chapter 2

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

This chapter presented the research design that was used in

this study. It also included a detailed procedure on how the

participants were selected, the necessary instrument that were

use to acquire the needed data, and the statistical treatment

that aided in the validation of the data.

Research Design

Descriptive-correlational research was used in this study.

This design employs methods of gathering data through

questionnaire. The correlational design was used to measure the

relationship between variables.

Participants of the study

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This study will be conducted during the first semester of

the Academic Year 2024-2025 at Saint Philomene of Alcala, Inc.

depending on the time where respondents and the set of

questionnaires are all set. The researchers will obtain data

needed from the random selected senior high school students.

Those who agreed to participate on the study will be handed a set

of questionnaires, consisting of the participants’ profile (age,

sex, strand), and their previous and current general average

(GWA), and even the remedies and strategies to cope with the

discomfort, to fill out.

Research Instruments

To ensure that the main study of the study would be met and

fulfilled, the researcher utilized a set of questionnaire in the

study. The questionnaire only consist one part which is the

participants profile and the remedies and strategies of learners

to deal with the discomfort.

Data Gathering Procedure

Upon the approval of this research by St. Philomene of

Alcala, Inc., the researchers asked permission by means of formal

letter on the school principal of the said school. Informing them

the purpose of the research conducted with their students as

participants.

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Those who agreed to be a participant will be given a set of

questions to answer, they will be given enough time to fill out

questionnaire and submit it back to the researchers personally.

The questionnaires will be administered by the researchers to the

participants during free time or vacant periods, but if needed,

the researchers will ask for the teachers’ time and approval to

conduct the distribution of questionnaires while in class hours.

Data Analysis

This study will employ a mixed-methods approach to data

analysis, combining quantitative and qualitative techniques.

Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize the demographic

characteristics of the participants and the baseline measures of

psychological pressure, academic performance, and coping skills.

Correlation Analysis: Pearson's correlation coefficients will be

calculated to examine the relationship between high heat index

and academic performance, as well as the relationships between

high heat index and other variables (psychological pressure,

coping skills, and classroom environment factors).

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References

Madeline Will (2022), The School Year Is Getting

Hotter. How Does Heat Affect Student Learning and Well Being.

Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/leadership/the-school-year-

is-getting-hotter-how-does-heat-affect-student-learning-ang-well-

being/2022/09

Merlina Hernando-Malipot (2024), Hot Days, Hard

Lessons: Students, Teachers Share Health Risks, Learning

Disruptions Amid Extreme Heat. Retrieved from

https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/6/hot-days-hot-lessons-students-

teachers-share-health-risks-learning-disruptions-amid-extreme-

heat
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Queen Alyn S. Jaranilla-Mondejar (2023), Sweating Over

Education: How High Heat Index Affects Students In The

Philippines. Retrieved from

https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/panay-news/20230429/28185

2942887735?

srsltid=AfmBOorNDSH5GrzWS0AMUicMbpYDt1dMFMRK2tvbFcPa5olUNcKalOp

Adrian Portugal (2024), Phili[ppine Students Suffer In

Wilting Heat, Thwarting Education Efforts. Retrieved from

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/philippine-student-

suffer-wilting-heat-thwarting-education-efforts-2024-04-29/

#:~:text=Children%20are%20particularly%20vulverable%20to,to

%@0Save%20the%20Children%20Philippines

THE OF HIGH HEAT INDEX ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF

SENIOR HIGH IMPACT SCHOOL STUDENTS OF ST. PHILOMENE OF ALCALA,

INC.

A Research Presented to the

Senior High School Department

St. Philomene of Alcala, Inc.

Centro Sur, Alcala, Cagayan

By

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Kimberly M. Afalla

Railee F. Umengan

John Bryan R. Mainas

Erica Fae D. Lagadon

Jerich C. Turo

Espee M. Mina

Maricel C.Pinon

Roldan Dave F. Cabaya

Allelie Mae V. Torrado

Jefferson Carbon

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Senior High School Department