Bishop Julito Cortes of the Diocese of Dumaguete on Friday has endorsed Earth Hour 2017 as he encouraged the public to switch off their lights for one hour last Saturday evening.
Bishop Cortes, chair of the Commission on Health Care of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, said the country has experienced the “devastating impact of the effects of climate change”, a shift in weather patterns, unpredictable rainfall patterns that affect agricultural production and devastating typhoons like Sendong, Ondoy and Yolanda.
Participating in the Earth Hour 2017 would “give our planet some moments of refreshing rest. Just like our short nap, in the middle of the day, in order to find ourselves recharged, as it were, to face and to fulfill the tasks that demand our attention and action. By turning off our lights, we give our planet much needed rest”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Energy Development Corp. also joined Earth Hour 2017.
Vicente Omandam, EDC’s senior manager for Negros Island, said that EDC has always participated in the yearly observance of Earth Hour.
He added that EDC will also continue with their advocacy on conservation and protection of forests and biodiversity as part of their contribution to abate the effects of climate change.
Earth Hour, celebrated in over 170 countries, has been calling for a transition to clean, green renewable energy as one way of “building a climate-safe future.”
EDC, as the country’s biggest geothermal producer, has prioritized this in their thrust to deliver a sustainable baseload power that answers the global call for renewable energy.
The Paris Agreement puts focus on the importance of forests and EDC has joined this call through their various greening activities including the “10 Million Trees in 10 Years” program in Negros Island Region that celebrated its first year last December through the planting of the one millionth tree in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, said EDC.
With the Philippines ranked as the third most vulnerable country to climate change, EDC sees the need to enjoin everyone to join Earth Hour and heed their call to switch to a low-carbon lifestyle and support efforts against climate change, Omandam said. (PNA) JFP
