ILLUMINATING WATER BOTTLES Boys Scouts use their cell phones to illuminate bottles of water during an Earth Hour program at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City. RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has asked local government units (LGUs) to support the observance of Earth Hour on Saturday by switching lights off as a message regarding climate change.
In a statement on Friday, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said that the Philippines must unite with the world in sending a strong message regarding the need for collective action to combat environment concerns.
It has been a tradition that lights and appliances are shut down during earth hour. For this year, lights at major establishments would be turned off from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
“Let us unite with the rest of the world in caring for our one and only home, Mother Earth. Ang simpleng pagpatay ng inyong mga ilaw ay malaking tulong na para makabawas sa epekto ng climate change,” Abalos said.
(The simple act of turning off the lights would make a big difference to lessen the effect of climate change.)
“We need to take urgent and decisive actions NOW to save the planet for our sake and the sake of future generations,” he said.
For this year in the Philippines, the Earth Hour would be held at the Quezon City Memorial Circle.
But aside from participating in the Earth Hour, Abalos also told provincial governors, city and municipal mayors, and barangays leaders to come up with activities that are aligned with the action plan against climate change.
Abalos said he has released Memorandum Circular 2023-031 which urged LGUs to “mobilize their constituents to participate in the Earth Hour activities” within their respective jurisdictions.
For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person celebration of Earth Hour would be conducted in the country, carrying a greater sense of urgency as the world tries to battle against climate change.
The annual event was organized by World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF-Philippines).