KABAYAN, Benguet, Philippines – Even the dead are now affected by the cold temperature.

Municipal Tourism Action Officer Berry Sangao Jr. said the centuries-old mummies in this town are showing signs of damage as temperature drops in the caves that shelter them.

Sangao also thinks the mummies in Mount Timbac could have more damage since the place is closer to the frost-vulnerable areas of Atok and other highly elevated areas in the province.

The frosting of vegetables in Atok and the freezing temperature in Mount Pulag made people worry on the effect of the cold climate on the Benguet mummies which are among inthe major tourist attractions in this town that also plays host to the Mount Pulag National Park, the second highest mountain peak in the country.

Sangao said that people from the National Museum came to Kabayan last week and listed their observations of the mummified bodies but they are yet to report on the extent of damage to the mummies in the coming weeks so that concerned agencies and local governments could make the necessary action to preserve and protect the mummies from their deteriorating condition.

The municipal officials of Kabayan also requested for regular meetings with National Museum anthropologists and other experts to have updates on the situation of the mummies.

Saint Louis University Museum Curator Ike Picpican said the mummies survived for hundreds of years but are vulnerable to molds, mild dew and other environmental factors.

Their transformation to being mummies is still a mystery. Although several studies have been made, there remains no official report on the process of mummification in Kabayan.

In recent years, environmental conditions brought about by climate change have been taking its toll on the naturally-preserved mummies, Picpican said.

“They could even have experienced all sorts of weather from the coldest to the warmest,” he said.

Picpican reiterated that chemicals, smoking and other drying methods should not be used in any way to the mummies.

Solar drying on parts of the mummy that has molds and mildew is the best thing to do, he said. Chemicals are harmful to these mummies and it could hasten the decay of the preserved corpses.

The Kabayan local government strictly regulates visits to the mummy caves and enforces a “no touch, no holding” policy for those viewing the mummies.

In Baguio City, after experiencing relatively warm weather for over a week now, the prevailing temperature in this mountain resort city and other highly-elevated areas in the region significantly dropped to a chill anew.

From the 12.5 degrees Celsius coldest temperature Sunday morning, the temperature dipped to 11.2 degrees Celsius around 5 a.m. Monday, the fifth lowest temperature this year as recorded by the local office of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

In Atok, Benguet, temperature was as cold as 5 degrees Celsius, threatening frosting to occur anew in plantations in Cordillera.

Short, wet summer

Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) predicted that a shorter but wetter summer in most parts of the country due to the La Niña phenomenon.

Weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said there is a strong possibility that the country may experience shorter but wetter summer because of the prevailing La Niña event affecting the Philippines.

Aurelio said above normal rainfall is expected, particularly in Eastern Visayas and Eastern Mindanao, warning that 20-22 cyclones are expected to affect the country this year.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) noted that the “moderate to strong” La Niña is expected to strengthen until April.

La Niña is characterized by the unusual cooling of sea surface temperatures, particularly in the equatorial Pacific.

The weather phenomenon has been associated with strong rainfall in Asia and Australia, chilling weather in North America, and drought in South America.

Due to the La Niña event, the Philippines has been affected by a “more active than normal” northeast monsoon or hanging amihan since December, 2010, particularly in the eastern part of the country.

Aurelio said widespread rains may prevail in the next two to three days in the Bicol Region, Palawan, Eastern Visayas, and Northern Mindanao due to the tail-end of a cold front.

PAGASA warned that the rains may trigger flashfloods and landslides in these areas.

Likewise, northeast monsoon or hanging amihan may bring mostly cloudy skies with light rains over Northern and Central Luzon until Thursday, Aurelio said.

He added that fishermen in Luzon, Visayas, and Northern Mindanao are advised not to venture out into the sea due to big waves generated by strong to gale force northeasterly winds. (With a report from Ellalyn B. de Vera)