LOREN, SARAH PROMOTE LIGHTS OUT ON EARTH HOUR

NP-NPC-LDP vice presidential candidate and staunch environmentalist Loren Legarda, together with pop princess Sarah Geronimo, called on the country to participate in the Earth Hour today.

At 8:30 PM, cities and towns across the world will turn off their lights for one hour.

"We are sending a powerful global message that it's time to take action on global warming. We needed to commit to reducing green house gas emissions to prevent catastrophic climate change impacts especially on the most vulnerable communities and to ensure the survival of our planet," said Legarda.

For the past two years Earth Hour has brought together about one billion people around the globe, in more than 1000 cities from businesses, governments, and communities sending a message to world leaders in the lead-up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen.

Last March 2009, the Philippines ranked first amongst all nations who participated in Earth Hour. From Luzon, Visayas to Mindanao, 647 local government units and communities switched

off their lights, and iconic buildings and landmarks went dark. This year they are aiming for the

support of at least 15 million Filipinos nationwide.

Legarda, the only candidate carrying environmental issues in her national campaign, cited the plight of farmers against El Nino, hunger, poverty, and the spread of disease as "everyday effects of climate change".

"Ang mga pinaka-apektado ng climate change ay ang mga mahihirap. Sino ba ang nawawalan ng ani tuwing tagtuyot? Sino ang nasasalanta ng mas madalas at mas makapaminsalang bagyo? Sino ang tinatamaan ng malaria, dengue at iba pang mga sakit na dulot ng climate change?" she said.

"The time of climate change cynics is over. We have no time for apathy and inaction. Climate change is a real issue, felt by the poorest, most vulnerable of our people," said Legarda.