Plaza Independencia as venue for Earth Hour 2017 program

PLAZA INDEPENDENCIA (CDN FILE PHOTO)

CEBU City Hall will join environmental groups and non-government organizations (NGOs) in celebrating this year’s Earth Hour at the Plaza Independencia in Cebu City tomorrow.

Former Cebu City councilor Nida Cabrera, chairperson for this Earth Hour observance, said the city’s partnership with different groups is significant in raising public awareness and appreciation of climate change.

“Let us strengthen the campaign for the public to know how to respond to the issues on climate change and global warming,” Cabrera said in a press conference.

Before the start of a program at Plaza Independenci, a People’s Conversation on Coal forum will be held at the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) with Archbishop Jose Palma as the main resource speaker.

Teody Navea, the secretary general of Sanlakas, said the forum will start at 3 p.m. and ends at 6 p.m.

This will be followed by a march going to Plaza Independencia where the evening program will follow.

Cebu City Councilor Eugenio Gabuya said P79,000 to P80,000 has been allocated for the Earth Hour activity which is charged to the City Sponsored Activities.

The program will feature solidarity speeches from Cebu City officials and an Earth Hour video which explains the story behind Earth Hour.

This year the Earth Hour is scheduled on March 25, Saturday and the one hour switchoff will start at 8:30 p.m. and ends on 9:30 p.m.

A fire dance and candle lighting will follow after the ceremonial switch off.

After the lights are switched back on, bike riders will travel from Plaza Independencia to T. Padilla going to Barangays Tejero and Carreta and then end at Metro Colon.

There will be no road closure during the biking activity.