Oriental Mindoro will turn off its lights for 60 minutes on March 27 as the province joins the world in observing Earth Hour.

Governor Arnan Espiritu called on the people of Oriental Mindoro to switch off their lights and other electronic equipment just for an hour, from 8:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.

This, he said, is the province’s response to the urgent need for the world to join hands in the fight against global warming.

Earth Hour, the world’s largest social mobilization event for two successive years, conveys a powerful symbolic call to action on climate change by urging individuals, corporations, institutions and communities to turn off their lights for 60 minutes.

This year, around one billion people across time zones all over the world are expected to take part in this massive display of solidarity for the planet, said Yeb Saño, newly-appointed Climate Change Commissioner and Earth Hour Philippines national director.

“El Niño is drying up our farms, aquifers and water reservoirs; this is a stark reminder of the perils of global warming,” said Saño.

“The symbolic act of together switching off our lights for one hour signifies our potential to make a difference if we take united and sustained action in terms of best energy practices and more responsible lifestyles,” he said.

In 2009, the Philippines ranked first among 88 nations in terms of local participation in Earth Hour. Over 10 million Filipinos in 647 cities and municipalities switched off their lights during Earth Hour, saving an estimated 611MWh of electricity—equivalent to a temporary shutdown of a dozen coal-fired power-plants.

This year, the event organizers—WWF-Philippines, the Department of Energy, Green Army Network Foundation and SWITCH Movement—aim to mobilize 15 million Filipinos in 1,000 towns, cities and municipalities to take a symbolic stand against climate change.