Erramon Aboitiz, President and CEO of Aboitiz Equity Ventures joined by Ms Cebu 2011, Mia Faridoon during the ceremonial switch off last year held at The Persimmon. Photo contributed by Danny Ybanez

The Aboitiz Group is taking its efforts to reduce carbon footprint a step higher by partnering with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Cebu City Government in celebrating Earth Hour 2012.

On March 31, the Aboitiz Group and its partners will join the rest of the country and the world in shutting off lights for an hour, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., as a way to conserve energy and lessen carbon dioxide emissions.

In line with this year’s Earth Hour theme “Uniting Filipinos to Protect the Planet,” the WWF will present a live streaming broadcast of the other Earth Hour activities taking place in Manila and Davao. It will also show video messages of President Benigno Aquino III and international leaders of WWF.

Also before lights will be shut off, Earth Hour co-founder Andy Ridley will deliver his keynote message, which will also be shown through live streaming.

Activities in Cebu will kick off with essay-writing and poster-making contests among high school and college students, respectively, at The Persimmon Plus in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City. There will also be an eco-bazaar that will display items from recycled waste and organic food.

At 5:30 p.m., Aboitiz Group team members and residents of Cebu City’s 80 barangays will walk from the Fuente Osmeña to the Plaza Independencia as their way of supporting global environmental initiatives.

Aboitiz Group President & CEO Erramon Aboitiz will lead Group executives in the shut-off ceremony. He will be joined by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, Miss Earth 2008 Karla Henry, Miss Cebu 2012 Pierre Anther Infante and her court, and WWF representatives.

The Aboitiz Group has adopted sustainability as a strategic goal in the operations of its various businesses. Sustainability is striking a balance among People, Planet and Profit. Various activities are being developed across the Group through its five sustainability pillars of Reduce, Reuse/recycle, Rejuvenate nature, Renewable energy and Recharged communities.

Three sites are declared as official switch-off sites of this years Earth Hour in the Philippines. These locations will be Makati, Cebu and Davao.

Makati City’s Ayala Triangle Gardens shall be the central hub for Luzon. At 6:30 PM on March 31, glow-in-the dark dance troupe Bailes de lUces and the Caracol dancers shall form the vanguard of an Earth-themed parade which starts at the Makati fire statin and ends at Ayala Tower One – where WWF-Philippines National Ambassador Rovilson Fernandez shall host a programme with performance from El Gamma Penumbra, Brigada and other groups. No less than Earth Hour Founder Andy Ridley shall lead the coutnry’s main stritch-off event, hosted by WWF with the help of Ayala Land and the Makati City Government.

In Cebu, Plaza Independencia shall be the chief switch-off site for the Visayas. A festive street parade led by local Sinulog Dancers shall start from Fuente Osmena”s Circle from 5:30 PM and onwards. The Cebu switch-off further features a candle lighting ceremony capped off by the release of biodegradable sky lanterns. Cebu’s event is in cooperation with Abiotiz Group and the Cebu City Government.

SM Davao shall be the main swith-off site for Mindanao, WWF-Philippines National Ambassador Marc Nelson shall host the switch-off, which features a tribal-themed parade aroudn SM Davao at 6:30PM. Black-light and fire dancers shall woo the crowd with specialized routines once the city plunges in to darkness. The Davao event is in Collaboration with SM Supermalls, the Green Alliance and the Davao City Government.

Earth Hour Philippines National Director Atty. Gia Ibay shares, ” We’re extremenly excited for this year’s switch’off ceremonies, WWF has traditionally celebrated Earth Hour from Manila. To commemorate our coutnry’s fifth Earth Hour, we thought is is high time for WWF to observe the movement across the arthcipelago – which has always been what we’ve aimed for.”

PINOYWORLD is strongly supporting Earth Hour since 2009. You can view Pinoyworld’s Earth Hour 2009 post here.