MANILA -- Prepare to switch off your lights on Saturday for this year's Earth Hour movement.
Filipinos are encouraged to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour at 8:30 p.m. on March 26 as a symbol of their commitment to the planet.
Organized annually by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia in 2007 to drive people to take action for the environment after the lights go back on.
"Through Earth Hour, we want to engage over a billion people worldwide and engage decision makers whether in business, institutions, and governments, to move the agenda of nature up the priority list in the global sphere and in the national agenda," said Atty. Angela Ibay, climate and energy program head of WWF-Philippines, said during a recent virtual media briefing.
"We want people to lend their voices as we're shaping our future, and hopefully, we'll be changing the ending for the positive -- for both people and the planet," she added.
WWF-Philippines' Earth Hour ambassador Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, for her part, said: "Earth Hour might be symbolic, but it's the most powerful reminder that we care, and how many of us all over the world do care."
"It's ultimately about what you and I can do when nobody is watching, and how all the effort adds up and becomes a collective movement that can actually make a difference. We are still in a position to change the ending, but we can only do it if we're together," she said.
A roundtable discussion hosted by WWF-Philippines ambassadors Pia Wurtzbach and Marc Nelson will take place an hour before the switch-off, with the event featuring representatives from Green Thumb Coalition as well as farmers, fisherfolk, and environmental workers.
After this, an Earth Hour Virtual Run will be held from March 26 to April 22. The self-paced virtual run has distances ranging from 10 km to 60 km, with registrations open until April 9.
Those who complete the cumulative distance over the course of the run will receive an Earth Hour finisher's kit and the chance to score goodies from partner brands in the raffle.
Jefferson Lo, founder of Pinoy Fitness online platform, has partnered with WWF-Philippines for the event. He believes that "protecting the planet is everyone's responsibility, especially for us runners and those who are into fitness knows how important the environment is."
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