MANILA, Philippines?Apart from being the country?s financial district, Makati now wants to be known as the country?s first ?energy-efficient city? by reducing the use of fossil fuel and electricity in all government agencies and eventually in the whole city.

In line with this, the city will launch the ?Energy Efficient Makati? (EE Makati) project at 9 a.m. today at Glorietta 5.

Earlier, Makati was chosen by environmental group Greenpeace to be the pilot city for the promotion of energy-efficient technology.

Mayor Jejomar Binay said the city is targeting a 20-percent cut in energy use in all government offices and facilities by 2010 and a 40-percent decrease in fuel emission in the entire city by 2020.

?We in Makati are honored that Greenpeace has chosen our city to take the lead in promoting energy efficiency nationwide. We thank them for recognizing our efforts to support initiatives aimed at addressing climate change which have gained the active involvement of our stakeholders in various sectors,? he said in a statement.

Binay added that key stakeholders, including residents, businessmen, workers, civic groups, and schools would enter into a Memorandum of Cooperation to implement energy-efficient measures in their respective areas.

Project partners include private groups like Ayala Foundation Inc., Ayala Land Inc., Makati Commercial Estate Association Inc., United Architects of the Philippines-Green Architecture Movement, and the Philippine Green Building Council.

One of the initiatives launched by Makati to mitigate the effects of global warming was the ?Palit-Ilaw Caravan? or the shift to energy-efficient lamps in public schools, markets, barangay (village) halls, health centers, and sports and recreational facilities.

Last March, Makati was declared by the World Wide Fund (WWF) as the Official Earth Hour Flagship City, and Binay as the Earth Hour 2009 Ambassador.

As the flagship city, Makati endorsed the movement and promoted a citywide participation in the project which called on residents to turn off their lights for one hour.

The WWF earlier lauded the Makati City Council for passing resolution 2008-056 declaring a daily Earth Hour for the city.

The city was also the first to roll out electric jeepneys in 2007. The e-jeeps now offer free rides on two routes?the Legazpi loop and the Salcedo loop.