by Jocelyn P. Alvarez
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Apr. 02, (PIA) - - close to 3,000 individuals trooped their way Saturday night to the city’s favorite hangout park-Paseo Del Mar to convey their messages that they are one with the world in the fight against global warming, and share support to effort in energy efficiency and conservation.
People from various sector, government, non government, academe, families with their infants and children, people young and old, even those in their wheelchair, showed up as early as 6 o’clock in the evening and filled the Paseo del Mar ground to share the meaningful celebration of “earth hour” on March 31.
“I brought my 8 year old daughter here so that at an early age her eyes would be open to what is happening with our environment and how she could do her share of responsibility in doing something to mitigate climate change,” said one mother-participant when asked why she and her family chose to join the earth hour activity.
Mayor Celso Lobregat who lead the “earth hour” program which started at exactly 8:10pm said, “I know that there are some who are disappointed of why we are doing this symbolic switching off of lights for an hour when in fact we have been experiencing rotational blackout every day.”
“But we have to understand, that despite our problems, we also have responsibilities as part of a global community thus we are supporting and we will continue to support earth hour.”
He said that despite the Mindanao power crisis, the city will continue to do all efforts to rehabilitate mother earth.
“We cannot just complain and complain, we have to do something, to share with the planet’s problems and contribute to its rehabilitation,” Lobregat emphasized.
The local chief executive said there are manifestations that the world has its “crisis” like the erratic water supply among others, “we have to share something in restoring the earth to its original state, we need the cooperation and support of all stakeholders,” Lobregat said before the listening crowd.
Lobregat called on all Zamboangaueños to take conscious decision to the effort to mitigate climate change.
“Let us all help mother earth from further deterioration, let us continue to make every hour an earth hour.”
The earth hour program started with an ecumenical prayers.
Mayor Lobregat then led the earth hour countdown at 8:29pm. At exactly 8:30 the power at the Paseo Del Mar was symbolically switched off, that was the time when the crowd started to light their candles and their sky lanterns.
Few minutes after the power switch off, hundreds of sky lanterns were released and illuminated the sky like bright fireflies.
Seeing the sky lanterns for the first time, the crowd cheered and clapped.
Power was switched on after one hour, at exactly 9:30pm. (JPA/PIA-9 ZBST)
