HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

RECEIVED
pare. 27 WL 2016

Republic of the Philippings — ‘Y"* ES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ®Y

Quezon City

REGISTRATION UNIT
ILLS AND iNUPX SERVICE

SEVENTEENTH CONGRE|
First Regular Session

House Bill No, ©“

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Earth Hour is a worldwide campaign for our home planted
organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature. The event is held
worldwide annually encouraging individuals, _ communities,
households, and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for
one hour, usually from 8:30-9:30 pm on the last Saturday of March to
signify commitment to the planet and its preservation.

The Philippines is one of the many countries that participated in
such movement. We have successfully encouraged and engaged several
establishments and households in our own country to join this good
cause, along with more than 96 countries in 6 continents.

In fact, in March 2013, the Philippine Electricity Market Corp.
noted that power consumption dropped by about 78.63 megawatts in
Metro Manila, and up to 102.2 megawatts in Luzon. The maximum
demand drop of around 39 ME was experienced at 8:14 pm in Metro
Manila and around 116 MW at 8:34 p.m. in the Luzon grid. (Source:
Inquirer)


The governments of Quezon City, Manila, Pasay, Parafaque,
Caloocan, and Makati, as well as other non-government organizations
and private businesses also took part in the activity.

The foregoing statistics was impressive enough with only six
cities in the National Capital Region participating in the Earth Hour.
Imagine the overall drop in power consumption when each and every
city in our country does its part to save the planet Earth.

The Earth Hour does not only raise awareness to the prevailing
global environmental problems we are facing, It actually has an actual
impact in that it saves the plane from too much carbon dioxide
emission that causes pollution and contributes to the erratic global
warming and climate change we are experiencing now.

Through this bill, the annual Earth Hour movement shall be
institutionalized and it shall mandate every city in the Philippines to
participate and turn their lights off for an hour every last Saturday of
the month of March. Once this bill is passed, our power consumption
will drop exponentially lower than our current record and this will
significantly contribute to the saving and conservation of our electricity
and other non-renewable resources, and ultimately, the preservation of
our environment and planet. As the saying goes, “Small steps can lead
to big changes.”

It is for this reason that the approval of this bill is being sought.

ew 6. OW”,

ERIC OLIVAREZ


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 20/3

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING EARTH HOUR.

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as “ The Earth
Hour Act of 2014.”

SECTION 2. Institutionalization. It is hereby mandated that Earth
Hour be observed by all private individuals, establishments,
households, communities, and businesses in the entire country by
turning off the lights for an hour from 8:00 to 9:00 pm every last
Saturday of the month of March.

SECTION 3. Exceptions. Street lights, and other public facilities
and equipment operated for public interest, welfare, safety, and
security, and purpose need not comply with the Earth Hour movement
if doing so would impair the vital operations of said public institution
or facility and would prejudice the safety, security and welfare of the
general public.

SECTION 4. Safety Measures, The private individuals,
establishments, households, communities, and businesses
participating in the earth hour may use battery charged lights,


flashlights, or lamps that uses minimum or no electricity during earth
Hour for safety measures.

SECTION 5. Information Campaign. The Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of
Interior and Local Government (DILG) and all Local Government Units
shall conduct a massive public information campaign at least 30 days
prior to the observance of Earth Hour.

SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees,
letters of instructions, executive orders, rules and regulations insofar
as they are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed or amended
as the case may be.

SECTION 7. Separability Clause. In the event that any provision
of this Act or any portion thereof is declared unconstitutional by a
competent court, the other provisions shall not be affected thereby and
shall remain valid and enforceable.

SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect after its
complete publication in at least three (3) newspapers of general
circulation.

APPROVED