As part of its campaign to conserve on energy, the Department Energy will soon be bringing the “switch” movement to Cebu and other key cities in the Visayas.
DOE said the campaign, which was only launched in Metro Manila cities last July 16, seeks to institutionalize energy efficiency and conservation measures in the country by “switching” from incandescent bulbs to the more efficient compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs.
Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, who was in Cebu recently for the regional consultation on the Philippine Energy Plan, said that since the country relies mostly on imported fuel, there is need to conserve to lower the consumption.
“There is need to switch from non-renewable to renewable energy. There is need for us to switch our lifestyle to cope better with the situation. The switch movement involves all sectors of the society,” Reyes said.
He said the “switch” campaign could not only generate savings for the electricity consumers but also reduce the greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere that contribute to the climate change.
Reyes emphasized that they are now promoting for the “decarbonated” environment by pushing for development of renewable and natural energy sources like solar, wind, hydro and natural gas that emit less carbon to the atmosphere.
The DOE said that if the country replaces a million incandescent bulbs with CFLs, the Philippines may no longer need the installation of new power plants.
President Gloria Gloria Arroyo has called for the phase out of incandescent bulbs by the year 2009 by switching to CFLs.
The DOE said the switch to CFLs is not the only objective of the Switch Movement as it also calls for the switch from petroleum-based fuels to alternative fuels, the switch from kerosene to renewable energy sources in remote rural areas, the switch from fuel-based technologies to renewable energy technologies in power generation and the switch from vestiges of centralized energy planning to more participative planning at the local level. — Wenna A. Berondo/LPM