Lights off on Earth Hour

MANILA, Philippines - Power firms will join Earth Hour on March 28 as their commitment to help arrest global warming.

Lopez-controlled Energy Development Corp. (EDC) and the Manila Electric Co. have signified their participation in Earth Hour, scheduled for 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, when lights and electrical appliances will be turned off for one hour.

In a statement, EDC said it has joined the Earth Hour global campaign to help widen program awareness and participation in the provinces of Leyte, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental and Cotabato, and the Bicol region where the company’s geothermal project sites are located.

The geothermal firm has actively campaigned and promoted the program among its employees, host communities, local government units, local media and other relevant stakeholders.

EDC expects at least 3,000 signatures for the online campaign, counting on the participation of all its employees from its Manila head office, Bacman Geothermal Production Field (BGPF) in Albay and Sorsogon, Bicol; Leyte Geothermal Production Field (LGPF) in Tongonan, Leyte; Mindanao Geothermal Production Field (MGPF) in Kidapawan, Cotabato province; Northern Negros Geothermal Production Field (NNGPF) in Bago City, Negros Occidental; and Southern Negros Geothermal Production Field (SNGPF) in Palinpinon, Negros Oriental, as well as its host communities.

EDC is also promoting the program and encouraging participation of other corporations and organizations such as those in the Lopez Group and League of Corporate Foundations.

“EDC has always actively participated in projects that will help arrest global warming. As a responsible corporate citizen, we have initiated some environmental projects that have become models for other companies,” EDC president/CEO Paul Aquino said.

“For Earth Hour, we are doing our share in encouraging maximum participation by spreading the word and promoting the program to all our employees, host communities, business partners and other stakeholders.”

Earlier, Aboitiz Power Corp. said it will encourage all its subsidiaries to observe Earth Hour.

The Department of Energy (DOE) is targeting to save some 560 megawatts (MW) of power when the country observes the Earth Hour.

The proponents of Earth Hour are hoping to entice about 10 million Filipino people to join the initiative.

This is more than 10 times higher than last year’s one million participants, who saved the equivalent of 56 MW savings.

The Earth Hour project involves 371 cities across 35 countries.

Last year, the Philippines ranked ninth in the world in terms of number of people that responded to Earth Hour calls on the Internet.

In the Philippines, the effort is being led by the local World Wide Fund for Nature office (WWF-Philippines) in cooperation with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Green Army Philippines Network, and the SWITCH movement.

“We have to act now if we are to halt, if not reverse, the dangerous momentum of climate change,” Lory Tan, president and CEO of WWF-Philippines, said.

“Earth Hour gives us the vehicle to show how simple acts – like turning off a light switch – can make a difference if we act together to fight global warming,” Tan said.

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said in this time of global crisis, it is vital that causes that unite, rather than divide, are pursued.

“Fighting global warming through best energy practices is an excellent opportunity for all of us, regardless of faith, creed or social status, to come together,” Reyes said.

The campaign is a prelude to the United Nations Climate Change Conference Copenhagen 2009 which aims to solicit commitments to action that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure a sustainable future.

Earth Hour aims to reach one billion people in 1,000 cities all over the world.