The long lines were already tough, but the scorching heat made voting in Dagupan City even harder for many voters on May 12.

At around 8 a.m., Rebecca Barrozo arrived at the West Central Elementary School 1 in Dagupan City from Barangay Poblacion Oeste. But even by 9 a.m., she was still waiting for her turn to vote.

The hot weather made the situation worse. Barrozo fanned herself continuously, trying to cool down as sweat dripped from her face.

“Sobrang init...” she said.

Some voters came prepared. Jay-B Barrozo brought his own mini fan, aware of how hot it could get during election day.

“Alam naman natin kung gaano kainit sa atin. Mataas ang heat index kaya nagdala ako ng mini fan,” he shared.

Other voters carried bottled water to stay hydrated and looked for shaded spots inside the voting center to escape the heat.

According to PAGASA, the heat index in Dagupan reached 40°C from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The forecast heat index for the day was 42°C.