Multi-sectors declare commitment to Earth Hour
Multi-sectoral groups Saturday night declared all out commitment to Earth Hour, pledging to undertake measures to mitigate global warming for the benefit of the next generation and the generations to come.
Mayor Celso Lobregat spearheaded the signing of the declaration of commitment together with District I Cong. Beng Climaco and Zamboanga Archbishop Romulo Valles and members of the City Council, following the 60-minute power shut off in celebration of Earth Hour, a worldwide campaign to send the strong message of support to reduce the impact of global warming.
Mayor Lobregat hoped that the people’s signature to the declaration document and the support to all anti-global warming campaigns will serve as a legacy to all the youths of the present generation and the next generation.
“All of us consume energy”, the mayor said stressing that it is also the responsibility of each and every individual to conserve energy and help in any way they can to protect the environment. “There are many ways we can help, we can plant trees for example to help mitigate the effects of global warming”.
“Actually it is not only the act of conserving power for one hour but earth hour should not only be today, it should be 24 hours a day 365 days in the year. We have to do things to save and conserve energy”, Mayor Lobregat emphasized.
Like all other cities in the country and the world, Zamboanga joined the observance of Earth Hour Saturday night to help raise public awareness on the need to undertake measures to cushion the impact of global warming.
Mayor Lobregat said the observance of Earth Hour becomes even more significant now that the city and the entire Mindanao is seeing the real effects of climate change. “This is a more relevant observance of Earth Hour to heighten awareness on the need to mitigate global warming and climate change”.
Zamboanga City, he stressed, led the way in finding ways how to adapt to climate change when it spearheaded the conduct of the global warming summit last May 27, 2008 and the conduct of the multi-stakeholders’ forum on climate change adaptation last February 5, 2010.
Other than advocacies, the city government also initiates other measures such as the continuous reforestation programs, inter-agency coordination, clean up drives and other measures.
Participants in the observance of Earth Hour and the signing of the declaration included representatives from the religious, government, non-government, Muslim, business, academe, professional, urban poor, utility, private groups, and other sectors.
The Earth Hour program was hosted by the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative under manager Reynerio Ramos.
Among the members of the City Council present were Councilors Cesar Iturralde, Rey Candido, Nonong Guingona, Rudy Lim, Lilia Nuno, Abdurahman Nuno, Eddie Saavedra, Luis Biel III, Jaime Cabato, Joefel de las Penas and council aspirants Percival Ramos, Ller Natividad, VP Elago, Mike Alavar, Bong Atilano, Myra Valderozza Abubakar, Josephine Pareja, Kaiser Olaso and several others. (Sheila Covarrubias)