DOE calls on Filipinos to join Earth Hour

MANILA  -The Department of Energy (DOE) has called on Filipinos to participate in Earth Hour to increase the country’s energy efficiency and help mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.

“Behavioral change may seem like a challenge but there are relatively simple things that we as residents, businesses and local governments can do to be energy efficient, increase resilience to climate change and pave the way to a more sustainable future,” Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said in a statement on Friday.

Earth Hour, an annual event that encourages people to simultaneously switch off nonessential lights for 60 minutes, will be held today, March 25, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Lotilla noted that this symbolic lights-out event served as an “opportune reminder of how simple everyday practices could have great impact on bringing down our energy consumption level.”

The DOE reported that the country saved 65.32 megawatts (MW) in last year’s Earth Hour, with Luzon covering more than half of the total at 35.26 MW.

Mindanao saved 15.3 MW, while the Visayas recorded 14.76 MW.

Last year’s numbers are lower than the saved electricity in 2021, which was at 73.01 MW, DOE data show.

Highest energy savings were recorded prepandemic in 2019 at 195.34 MW.

The DOE hopes that the country could save more this year with more Filipinos participating in the event.

“Collective actions could build a safer, more resilient and sustainable future. By switching off our lights for one hour, we can make a substantial difference in energy consumption, raise public awareness, change behaviors and help reduce the effects of global warming on this planet,” the agency said.

Earth Hour was launched in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, where more than 2.2 million people turned off their lights for an hour.

For its part, the DOE encouraged Filipinos to minimize their use of electricity during peak hours: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.