Central Negros Electric Cooperative president Arnel Lapore yesterday urged the public to switch off their lights from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. today for the world-wide observation of the earth hour.

Lapore said that although the switching off of the lights for an hour would mean losses to CENECO, they are supporting the move as it will help to raise awareness about the need to take action on climate change.

CENECO reported that they were able to save at least 29.275 megawatts of power from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. last year when government offices, business establishments and some residents switched off their lights for the earth hour celebration.

This year’s earth hour celebration, with the theme “I Will If You Will”, aims to engage its growing global community to go beyond the hour and coordinate their efforts publicly through social media like Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and email.

The campaign had been started also through Youtube to inspire people from all corners of the globe to take sustainability actions, and to share their commitment to the environment with their own social media networks.

Meanwhile, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson and Felicidad Altalaguire, dean of Colegio San Agustin College of Engineering, will lead the ceremonial switch-off of lights at 8:30 p.m. today at the main entrance of the North Wing of SM Bacolod during the celebration of earth hour.

A caravan will start from the Capitol Lagoon at 5 p.m. to SM City, while the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers-Negros Occidental Chapter will spearhead a coastal clean-up at Bubog Bridge in Talisay, Barangay Punta-Taytay in Bacolod City and Malinao Creek in Ilog with the theme “Bawasan ang Basura, Bawasan ang Baha.”

The Organic Negros Producers and Retailers Association will hold an exhibit of organic products at 2 p.m. at SM Bacolod and film showing at 7 p.m. A film showing of the SM Earth Hour and the Global Earth Hour video will follow at 8:10 p.m.

Altalaguire said they are holding the earth hour activity to encourage the public to save energy to minimize the problem of global warming and climate change, during a press conference at SM yesterday. They also expect other local governments in Negros to support the earth hour activity by switching-off their lights from 8:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., she said.

Nep Grandea, marketing officer of SM Marketing Department, said 42 SM supermalls including four SM China malls will simultaneously switch-off their lights today.

He said that last year, the Philippines ranked number one across the globe with 1,554 cities celebrating Earth Hour 2011, adding that in the previous year, Australia ranked number one.

Grandea said the Earth Hour 2012 national committee is targeting more than 2,000 cities in the Philippines to break the record last year.

He said they will light 150 candles to form the Philippine flag tonight.

SM Bacolod also pledged last year to change its lighting facilities to Compact Florescent Lamps, which they were able to accomplish by 82 percent, he said.

Also present were Organic Negros Producers and Retailers Association executive director Bea Bachinela, SM assistant mall manager Julia Javellana, Ruben Tañesa and Eleanor Espeja of PICE, and Carlan Gustilo, CSA Student Government president.*APN/CGS

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