In the “Oras Natin sa Efficiency” or ONE campaign, the public is encouraged to switch off non-essential lights and unplug unused appliances from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Saturday.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a weekly energy-saving campaign similar to the observance of Earth Hour.
In
the “Oras Natin sa Efficiency” or ONE campaign, the public is
encouraged to switch off non-essential lights and unplug unused
appliances from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. every Saturday.
“We have proven
that if we switch off unessential items or electricity together, we can
really generate savings,” Patrick Aquino, director of the DOE-Energy
Utilization Management Bureau, said at an online briefing on Monday,
April 20.
“We’ll be partnering with our business sector, our
schools, as well as the households and non-governmental organizations to
promote this hourly activity,” he added.
Earth Hour has been held around the world annually since 2007 on the last Saturday of March from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
This
year, the Philippines reduced 145.43 megawatts of power load during
Earth Hour on March 28, equivalent to the consumption of around one
million households using 100 kilowatt-hours.
Electricity demand traditionally peaks during the dry season, this year included.
In
one of her previous briefings, DOE Secretary Sharon Garin assured the
public that they would not suffer from power interruptions amid the oil
crisis.
“Ninety-seven percent of our power does not come from
diesel, only three percent,” Garin said on April 15. “That three-percent
diesel consumption is used mainly in the islands, so that’s the one
we’re monitoring.”
‘Protect the environment’
Ahead
of the Earth Day observance on April 22, Sen. Loren Legarda warned that
the Philippines must urgently scale up its environmental interventions
to cushion the severe economic blow of the ongoing global energy crisis.
Noting
the sharp spikes in electricity and transport costs, the lawmaker
stressed that ecological preservation is now directly tied to national
economic survival.
To combat this, she pushed for concrete
nature-based solutions, such as watershed rehabilitation to secure water
supplies and mangrove reforestation to shield vulnerable coastal
communities.
“When the cost of energy rises, everything else
follows, from what we eat to how we live. This is why protecting the
environment is no longer separate from protecting our economy and
people,” Legarda said.
She emphasized that the global theme for
Earth Month, “Our Power, Our Planet,” demands a shift away from
superficial celebrations toward a comprehensive, whole-of-nation
strategy that builds systemic resilience against climate-related
disasters. — With Neil Jayson Servallos
