88 power consumers to put off light at Earth Hour in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - The city is expected to be enveloped in darkness for one-hour Saturday, March 28 evening in celebration Earth Hour 2009, global campaign to reduce impact of global warming.

City’s power distributor Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (ZAMCELCO) estimates around 88 thousand power consumers – residential, commercial, industrial, public buildings and street lights, will be shut off for 60-minutes in an imposed city-wide blackout.

Earth Hour, the activity initiated by Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), spearheaded in the country by Department of Energy, wants to create awareness on the detrimental effects of global warming.

In the “switch off” ceremony to be held at the Multi-Purpose hall of ZAMCELCO, a video presentation will show the cause and effects of global warming.

The organizers of Earth Hour hoped that the “total black out” will encourage people to be more aware of their energy usage, as producing electricity pollutes the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels thus contributing to global warming.

Global warming is the term used to describe the gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is believed to be permanently changing the Earth’s climate.

City Mayor Celso Lobregat together with ZAMCELCO General Manager Reinerio R. Ramos will switch off the city’s power line at around 8:30 pm Saturday.

After the “switch off” and lighting of candles, an ecumenical prayer will follow to be led by Rev. Ben Villaflores, Rev. Pastor Berlie Yap and Mr. Amilpasa Bandaying.

After the ecumenical prayers, restoration of power will be done gradually by feeder at an interval of 15-minutes.

The last feeder will be switch on will be the northside feeder, which covers Nunez street, where the residence of the Mayor is located.

After the restoration of power, a ceremonial signing of covenant to support to the campaign against global warming will highlight the event. Expected to join in the signing of the covenant of support are the business sector, AFP, PNP, industrial group and other members representing the cross sector of the society.