WWF Manila - In the country's greatest display of solidarity against climate change, more than 50 major Philippine cities and towns switched off their lights to join the rest of the world for Earth Hour.

On the 29th of March 2008, from 8 to 9 in the evening, the Philippines joined Europe, America and Asia by shutting off lights in households, offices, malls, parks and other key areas. The flagship cities of Pasay, Manila and Parañaque held a switch-off ceremony and enveloped the entire Roxas Boulevard seaside strip in symbolic darkness. The Makati business district followed with its own set of celebrations. Across the nation, lights-off activities were instigated.

World Wild Fund (WWF) and Meralco estimate the participation of more than a million Filipinos, saving 56MWh of energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 30-tonnes in Luzon alone – equivalent to shutting down an entire coal-fired powerplant.

“Public response was simply amazing,” says WWF Climate Change and Energy Programme Head Yeb Saño. “Filipinos truly showed the world that we stand together against climate change. As one, government, civil society, businesses and millions of individuals made Earth Hour in the Philippines an overwhelming success.”

Participating Cities

Aside from the four flagship cities, the following areas reported holding their own switch-off celebrations: Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Caloocan, Marikina, Gen. Trias, Bais, Dumaguete, Dipolog, Zamboanga, Iligan, Talisay, Escalante, Baguio, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa, Tarlac, Laoag, Cadiz, San Fernando and Bauang in La Union, San Fernando in Pampanga, Santiago, San Jose in Nueva Ecija, Naga, Legazpi, Iriga, Calbayog, Ormoc, Samal, Tangub and Bongao in Tawi-Tawi. More areas undoubtedly joined in.

Rarely have the Filipino people been roused to such levels of awareness and action. WWF salutes all those who participated. Declares Saño, “We should be very proud of ourselves and the Philippines for making this truly memorable stand.”

Read more at http://www.wwf.org.ph/newsfacts.php?pg=det&id=110