DumagueteĀ CityĀ andĀ BANĀ ToxicsĀ takeĀ aĀ standĀ whenĀ mallĀ establishmentsĀ goĀ darkĀ for 20th annualĀ EarthĀ HourĀ alongsideĀ theĀ radio simulcastĀ ofĀ RadyoĀ Veritas spreadingĀ the climateĀ message [#OnlyOnChannel8News]
QUEZON, MANILA / DUMAGUETE, NEGROS ORIENTAL -- Cities across the entire nation flips down the switch, in observance of the 20th anniversary of the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature's "Earth Hour". Several groups have banded together for the worldwide event. Commercial AM religious radio station 'Radyo Veritas' in Metro & Mega Manila, the environmental justice movement 'BAN Toxics', and Dumaguete's internet public broadcaster 'Negros Island TV8' will soon turn off their non-essential lights to save energy and express solidarity for one (1) hour.
The event, which precedes "Holy Pranked Day" (a combination of "April Fools" and "Holy Week") was a moment of respite for the Earth in a time of energy woes. Just a week ago, Philippine president 'Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr.' issues an Executive Order (EO) #110 on a National Energy Emergency (NEE) due to worldwide shortages from the Middle East conflict. This comes as gas prices and electricity rates from all sources heightened, including Petron and Negros Oriental Electric Cooperative II (NORECO II), in the country. Although households and businesses were encouraged to join the darkness of Earth Hour, off-the-grid systems such as solar panels with battery storage and generators were largely exempted from the movement to guarantee safe and essential operations.
Thony Dizon, campaigns and advocacy officer of BAN Toxics, said the ecological emergency is inextricably linked to war. Dizon said Earth Hour is observed each year to remind everyone of their role in preserving the planet: "We observe Earth Hour annually to remind us of our shared responsibility to protect the planet. Achieving this requires urgent, collective action across all sectors, coupled with greater accountability from corporations and governments. But how can we succeed while ongoing wars continue to intensify the environmental crisis?" he stated for questioning.
Referencing profiling analyses on the carbon cost of war, Dizon detailed the climate impact of war. War consumes a significant amount of energy and leaves a legacy of ecological damage long after the conflict: "It destroys ecosystems, infrastructure, and livelihoods, leaving polluted air, contaminated soil, and unsafe water long after the conflict ends. From Ukraine to Palestine [et al.], the devastation of war ripples far beyond battle zones, affecting civilians and ecosystems in profound and lasting ways", Dizon explained.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) began in Switzerland in 1961; Earth Hour was launched by WWF-Australia in Sydney in late March 2007. Started in 2007 as a symbolic "lights off" campaign to register support for climate action, Earth Hour has evolved into the world's largest grassroots environmental movement, with people observing Earth Hour in over 190 countries and territories over the past 20 years. In the Philippines, local businesses also participated in the symbolic darkness during the Earth Hour, with large shopping malls in Dumaguete City, including Robinsons Place and CityMall, dimming its lights to stand in solidarity.
The conflict in the Middle East, has wreaked havoc on the global energy marketplace with bombing of facilities and the blockade of Strait of Hormuz curtailing supply and creating uncertainty. Consequently, the Philippines, which imports roughly 98% of its oil from the Middle East, according to the Department of Energy (DOE), is bearing the brunt of these supply shocks. With local diesel prices surging past PHP120 Philippine pesos per liter, Dizon stressed that Filipinos must do their part to conserve energy and natural resources through more efficient practices and reduced consumption.
Radyo Veritas prepared special programming for the occasion in Metro and Mega Manila. The station, in partnership with the Climate Change Commission (CCC), the Conference of Major Superiors in the Philippines (CMSP), the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Indigenous Peoples (CBCP-ECIP), Diocese of Lucena-Ministry on Ecology and Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), aired a special radio broadcast later tonight. Participants held a prayer for the rosary, while interviews with guests in the booth and through the video conference (VF) platform were also conducted, highlighting environmental awareness and how faith and ecology intersect.
Dumaguete's internet public broadcaster 'Negros Island TV8' witnessed tonight's Earth Hour nationwide event from 8:30pm to 9:30pm (Philippine time). Listeners and viewers tuned in via social media platforms, Channel 8 News' CyTube broadcast, and on the AM airwaves of 846khz in Metro and Mega Manila. Ultimately, the annual lights-out event serves as a reminder that while the act of flipping off a light switch is small, the collective commitment to building sustainable habits and protecting our shared home is what will truly safeguard the planet for future generations.
PHOTO COURTESY: BAN Toxics, Robinsons Place DGTE, and Radyo Veritas via PR and FB PHOTOS
SOURCES: *https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?15829366/Celebrating-Earth-Hours-20th-anniversary *https://www.veritasph.net/banal-na-oras-para-sa-kalikasan-earth-hour-2026-special-tampok-sa-radyo-veritas/ *https://www.facebook.com/100064878213378/posts/1393136242858970 and *https://www.facebook.com/100085223628252/posts/920215907495855
-- Channel 8 News Publication Team
