1,044 towns, cities join Earth Hour

MANILA, Philippines - Some 1,044 cities and municipalities all over the country were expected to participate in last night’s Earth Hour 2010.

Former energy secretary Angelo Reyes, who spearheaded the activities for the event, said the number of localities that joined this year’s lights-off was a big jump from 2009.

Last year, 647 towns and cities representing more than 10 million Filipinos joined Earth Hour and saved 611megawatt-hours of electricity.

This year, Reyes said the goal is for 15 million Filipinos to participate to save about 800 megawatt-hours of energy.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Philippines, led by national coordinator Yeb Saño, received a report from the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) shortly after the event. 

Major establishments in Metro Manila like those in Ayala Center in Makati, The Fort in Taguig, and the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) in Pasay City spearheaded various events for Earth Hour.

Saño said turning off the lights for Earth Hour from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. was a first step toward committing to a lifetime change.

WWF-Philippines said the event seeks to inspire people into promising the planet that they, from now on, will change the way they consume power, water, and other resources in the name of caring for Mother Earth.

Making an impact

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Horacio Ramos said although constituting only about one percent of the world’s population of 6.8 billion, “90 million Filipinos, by being good environmental citizens, can make an impact on this side of the biosphere.”

Ramos said Filipinos switching off lights simultaneously with other people across the globe trumpeted pleas for people to start mending their wasteful ways and save Planet Earth. 

He stressed that the choice underscored the stark reminder of climate change now occurring in many parts of the world.

“Once more we mark with the world the coming of Earth Hour when, responding to Planet Earth’s need for a respite from suffocation,” he said.

Last year, the WWF said out of 88 countries with different time zones, the Philippines was the top participant in the event, with more than 15 million Filipinos voluntarily saving energy.

The country saved around 611 megawatt-hours of electricity in 2009, “equivalent to shutting down a dozen coal-fired power plants for 60 minutes.”

Calling the feat “not enough,” Ramos asked Filipinos to carry it “on a daily basis ... in our homes, our communities and our organizations.”

He noted that many parts of the country are experiencing power outages because of the shortage in hydroelectric power generation induced by El Niño.

Started in Australia in 2007, the program put the country third in participation among nations, with 309 towns and cities joining the event last year, while the Philippines ranked first.

Greece placed second with 484 participating towns and cities.