Lanterns glow as Bulakenyos join Earth Hour

BALIUAG, Bulacan, Philippines – About a hundred sky lanterns shone like stars while fire lanterns glowed in front of a mall here as Bulakenyos joined the world in celebrating the fourth Earth Hour Saturday night.

As early as 6 p.m. Saturday, shoppers started converging at the parking lot of SM City Baliuag to join students and environmentalists for a brief program.

Environment officials said celebrating Earth Hour creates awareness among Filipinos in conserving energy and preserving the environment.

Martin Francisco of the Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society said relentless energy consumption is putting too much pressure on the environment and natural resources as well.

Aside from conserving electricity, Francisco said Filipinos should also realize the need to preserve the environment, especially the Angat Dam in Norzagaray town from where Metro Manila is drawing 97 percent of its potable water requirements.

“We are aware of climate change, but we are not giving enough attention to our sources of energy and water like the Angat Dam watershed which is being threatened by relentless timber poaching,” he said.

Due to the dry spell, Francisco said people in upland villages in Bulacan are going hungry, among them the Dumagats who are lured into bringing illegal logs out of the protected watershed to earn money to buy food.

Beverly Cruz, public relations officer of SM City Baliuag, said the annual lights-off allowed them to save 109,914 watts of electricity, equivalent to more than P10,000 in savings.

For their part, Sheryl de la Rama of SM Supermall in Marilao town said they were able to save 1,700 kilowatts, equivalent to two-day power consumption of a leading food chain.