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by Prime Sarmiento

MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) — About 15 million Filipinos are expected to switch off their lights for one hour Saturday night, joining the global community\’s symbolic stance against climate change.

Households, communities, civil society, government agencies and private companies from over 1,000 towns and municipalities in the Philippines pledged to turn off their lights from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, according to the organizers of Earth Hour Philippines.

This is the third consecutive year that the Philippines is joining this global sustainability movement.

This year\’s Earth Hour Philippines is being organized by the World Wildlife Fund, the Department of Energy, Green Army Network Foundation and SWITCH Movement. The organizers will mobilize 15 million Filipinos from more than 1,000 towns and cities to participate in Earth Hour.

As of Friday, 1,041 towns and cities have committed to take part in the event significantly more than the 647 cities and towns which switched off their lights during Earth Hour 2009, saving an estimated 611MWh of electricity – equivalent to a temporary shutdown of a dozen coal-fired power-plants.

The Philippines ranked first among 88 nations in terms of local participation in last year\’s Earth Hour.

Earth Hour Philippines National Director Naderev Sano is not surprised by such strong reception to the Earth Hour.

\”You can only say yes to earth hour,\” Sano said in an interview with Xinhua.

The newly-appointed Climate Change Commissioner notes that the Earth Hour is a \”politically-neutral\” event, offering the Filipinos a short reprieve from the current campaign frenzy ahead of the May national elections.

It also helps that it\’s very easy to participate in Earth Hour, Sano said. One just have to switch off the lights for one hour – enough to do one\’s part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

World emissions have risen by about 70 percent since the 1970s. The rising carbon emissions which is mainly due to the growing dependence on oil and coal as an energy source is increasing temperatures. The warming planet is spurring more floods, droughts, heatwaves, rising sea levels and animal and plant extinctions, according to the U.N. Climate Panel.

Sano said more Filipinos are ware of the impact of climate change, having experienced first hand the problems it caused. Last year, the back to back typhoons Ketsana and Parma pushed 480,000 people to poverty and damaged over 4 billion U.S. dollars worth of property. This year, the El Nino has brought intense heat, dried up farmlands, damaged crops, reduced water levels and limited the supply of energy.

The organizers have invited the public to the main switchoff event to be held at the SM Mall of Asia, where a concert will be held to celebrate Earth Hour. Street parties will also be held ion various parts of the country.

Organizers are also hoping that participating in the one hour switch off program will encourage more consumers to lead a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

by Prime Sarmiento

MANILA, March 26 (Xinhua) — About 15 million Filipinos are expected to switch off their lights for one hour Saturday night, joining the global community\’s symbolic stance against climate change.

Households, communities, civil society, government agencies and private companies from over 1,000 towns and municipalities in the Philippines pledged to turn off their lights from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, according to the organizers of Earth Hour Philippines.

This is the third consecutive year that the Philippines is joining this global sustainability movement.

This year\’s Earth Hour Philippines is being organized by the World Wildlife Fund, the Department of Energy, Green Army Network Foundation and SWITCH Movement. The organizers will mobilize 15 million Filipinos from more than 1,000 towns and cities to participate in Earth Hour.

As of Friday, 1,041 towns and cities have committed to take part in the event significantly more than the 647 cities and towns which switched off their lights during Earth Hour 2009, saving an estimated 611MWh of electricity – equivalent to a temporary shutdown of a dozen coal-fired power-plants.

The Philippines ranked first among 88 nations in terms of local participation in last year\’s Earth Hour.

Earth Hour Philippines National Director Naderev Sano is not surprised by such strong reception to the Earth Hour.

\”You can only say yes to earth hour,\” Sano said in an interview with Xinhua.

The newly-appointed Climate Change Commissioner notes that the Earth Hour is a \”politically-neutral\” event, offering the Filipinos a short reprieve from the current campaign frenzy ahead of the May national elections.

It also helps that it\’s very easy to participate in Earth Hour, Sano said. One just have to switch off the lights for one hour – enough to do one\’s part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

World emissions have risen by about 70 percent since the 1970s. The rising carbon emissions which is mainly due to the growing dependence on oil and coal as an energy source is increasing temperatures. The warming planet is spurring more floods, droughts, heatwaves, rising sea levels and animal and plant extinctions, according to the U.N. Climate Panel.

Sano said more Filipinos are ware of the impact of climate change, having experienced first hand the problems it caused. Last year, the back to back typhoons Ketsana and Parma pushed 480,000 people to poverty and damaged over 4 billion U.S. dollars worth of property. This year, the El Nino has brought intense heat, dried up farmlands, damaged crops, reduced water levels and limited the supply of energy.

The organizers have invited the public to the main switchoff event to be held at the SM Mall of Asia, where a concert will be held to celebrate Earth Hour. Street parties will also be held ion various parts of the country.

Organizers are also hoping that participating in the one hour switch off program will encourage more consumers to lead a more eco-friendly lifestyle.