In support to the campaign of the World Wide Fund’s (WWF) Earth Hour 2015, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 1 participated and advocated one hour global “lights out” event from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM on 28 March 2015, Saturday.

All lights were switched off in the entire DSWD office during that day and duration as ordered by Regional Director Marcelo Nicomedes J. Castillo.

Since this happened during the weekend, Dir. Castillo said that all employees were also asked to participate the Earth Hour in their respective homes. Switching off unnecessary lights or appliances at home is one of the ways that all employees did, if not total “lights out”.

DSWD is one of the partners of WWF-Philippines in lessening the threat of global warming and a commitment to a low-carbon lifestyle through supporting this year’s Earth Hour dubbed as “The Gift of Light: Lighting Up and Off-Grid Community in the Philippines”.

According to WWF-Philippines, this event will enable distribution of solar lamps to fish ranchers and seaweed farmers in Beton, an offshore community in Taytay, Northern Palawan. Their children will be able to study at night without the risk of fire and the prohibitive expenses of buying gasoline. Earth Hour is a global campaign to showcase what can and is being done all over the world to combat climate change. It also unites communities, ushering in a new era of environmental consciousness by encouraging personal accountability and behavioural change to facilitate a low-carbon lifestyle. (by: Jaesem Ryan A. Gaces, Information Officer II/Pantawid Pamilya)