IT’S called hitting two birds with one stone.
In a news conference on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia announced that a “no air conditioning” policy would be implemented in the executive and legislative buildings at the Capitol compound.
The policy, however, doesn’t ban air conditioners but only limits their use to four hours a day.
In doing so, the Provincial Government will save on its monthly electricity bill, which, according to Garcia, amounts to over P1 million alone for the executive building.
The governor’s office will “set an example” for all Capitol offices and employees by shutting off its air conditioners 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
She reminded the public that the Capitol building was constructed when the use of air conditioners was not prevalent, which would explain why its windows and doors are so huge so these could let air enter for good ventilation.
Garcia said she thought of this scheme also as a preventive measure against the 2019 novel coronavirus, or the 2019-nCoV.
Before Chinese authorities confirmed the existence of the virus on Jan. 7, the governor already disclosed that the Capitol would be switching off its air conditioning to combat a “mysterious viral pneumonia” linked to China and also to save on electricity.
“One very important information, which we probably have not understood well, is that at that time the 2019-nCoV wasn’t identified yet, the recommendation was to turn off air conditioning because this virus apparently cannot thrive beyond a temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s spreading rapidly in China because it’s currently winter there,” the governor said in a mix of English and Cebuano.
Fifty degrees Fahrenheit is 10 degrees Centigrade.
The temperatures in Cebu for the month of February have an average high of 30 degrees Centigrade and a low of 24 degrees Centigrade.
This fact has been overlooked by the Department of Health and even agencies like the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, which now penalizes public utility vehicle drivers for failing to wear protective masks while on the road even though the World Health Organization said “there was not a lot of evidence” to support that wearing masks protects against the coronavirus.
At any rate, the governor said the Capitol’s new policy will be “healthier” for clients and employees and be cost-efficient as well.