Catholic bishops are pleading with God to intervene in the midst of the intense heatwave that is engulfing the Philippines and asking their flocks to offer extra prayers for rain and a drop in temperature.

The rising temperatures have led to the closure of tens of thousands of schools in the past week, exacerbating the strain on the country's already challenged power supply.

Compounding the issue is a widespread El Niño drought that began earlier this year, resulting in significant damage to agricultural produce valued at 5.9 billion pesos ($103 million), according to the Department of Agriculture.

The Catholic Bishops of the Philippines issued an "Oratio Imperata," directing parishes across the predominantly Catholic nation to include a prayer for deliverance from calamities during masses. The prayer, as seen by AFP on Saturday, implores divine assistance in alleviating the extreme heat and providing much-needed rain to replenish water sources, irrigate fields, and mitigate water and power shortages.

The prayer emphasizes the urgency of the situation, acknowledging the disruption caused by the scorching temperatures to people's daily lives and livelihoods.

Manila recorded a record-high temperature of 38.8 degrees Celsius (101.8 degrees Fahrenheit) on April 27, prompting the closure of over 47,000 schools for two days. As of Friday, nearly 8,000 schools remained closed, with the highest temperature in the country reaching 38.2°C on the island of Mindoro, south of the capital.