Albay Bishop Baylon urges faithful to join Earth Hour

LEGAZPI CITY — Bishop Joel Baylon of the Diocese of Legazpi has urged parishioners in Albay province to join the nationwide observance of Earth Hour by switching off their lights for 60 minutes from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday.

“Let us join in the celebration of Earth Hour by turning off our lights for at least an hour as a sign of support,” Baylon in a message said.

The province has been observing the event yearly aimed at raising awareness of the public on the salient issues of carbon emission or the so-called carbon footprint brought about by greenhouse gases and its effect on climate change.

The prelate said that aside from the observance of Earth Hour, he also encouraged the public to raise the level of awareness on the danger to the environment brought by the use of plastics.

“In whatever way we can, let us raise awareness about single-use plastic – let us lead in avoiding these and other forms of plastic and pollutants, as much as we could, as our way of caring for Mother Earth,” he said.

In 2012, Albay province passed an ordinance totally banning the use of plastic bags in all stores, markets, groceries, and supermarkets.

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million residents switched off lights of their homes and offices in order to pledge their support to save the environment.

The Department of Interior and Local Government called on all local governments across the country to participate in the worldwide observance of Earth Hour 2019 on Saturday.

Several big malls and other commercial establishments in the province pledged to join the event by turning off their lights for at least an hour.

Organizers of the Earth Hour in the Philippines estimated that millions of Filipinos would join the one-hour switch off./lzb