It's going to be a long, hot summer for Filipinos this year with temperatures expected to reach up to 37 to 38 degrees Celsius nationwide, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Monday.

Nathaniel Cruz, officer-in-charge of the office of the Deputy Administrator for Operations and Services of Pagasa, said the warmer temperatures recorded over the weekend signal the termination of the northeast monsoon coming from the cold polar region.

"This could mean that we will have a longer hot season because the northeast monsoon weakened as early as mid-February," he said.

Summer season in the Philippines usually starts around March and ends before June.

Cruz said areas in Northern, Southern and Central Luzon, Western Visayas and Mindanao will experience hotter temperatures due to lack of rains. He said Pagasa recorded temperatures of up to 37 degrees Celsius in Nueva Ecija over the weekend.

Last year, Pagasa recorded the highest temperature in Metro Manila at 37 degrees Celsius on April 22. Based on Pagasa’s climatological data, the highest temperature recorded in the Philippines was at 42.2 degrees Celsius in Tuguegarao City on May 11, 1969.

The Department of Health, meanwhile, said the summer season could lead to a rise in various illnesses such as sunburn, heatstroke, sore eyes, diarrhea, vomiting, food poisoning and flu.

Dr. Eric Tayag, chief of the Department of Health's National Epidemiology Center, said the public should avoid going outdoors between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. when the sun is at its hottest.

*  Summer is really here. I could definitely feel the heat. So guys be careful, don't stay to much outside because it could cause you heatstroke and sunburn. =) *