As Earth Hour approaches this Saturday, its organizer emphasized that the one-hour event for the planet serves as a reminder to conserve resources at all times. Angela Consuelo Ibay of WWF-Philippines said the symbolic switch-off aims to foster habits amid the energy crisis. The Department of Energy suspended spot market operations on Thursday to ease consumer burdens.
MANILA, Philippines — Earth Hour takes place this Saturday from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., amid global energy supply disruptions from the Middle East conflict. Angela Consuelo Ibay, national director for Earth Hour at WWF-Philippines, said the lights-off ritual shows that individuals can contribute to weathering the crisis. “Even if it’s just one hour when we ask people to turn off their lights, it’s really just symbolic, but we want people to imbibe a habit of conservation of our resources, not just energy but also water, because we’re going into the summer months,” Ibay told The STAR. “We’re in an emergency, but there is something that we as individuals can do. The government is trying to do its part. Let us, as citizens and citizens of this earth, do also our part to conserve what is necessary so that we have a sustainable planet,” she added. Last year’s event conserved 161 megawatts of electricity, enough for over 160,000 homes, according to Department of Energy data. This year’s theme, “Switch On Habits for Earth,” highlights everyday choices for sustainability. In its 20th year, the event features an in-person switch-off ceremony in Pasig, with sports official Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski as ambassador. Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 and now involves more than 190 countries. The Department of Energy suspended spot market operations on Thursday to reduce consumer burdens amid power supply concerns.
