On 31 March 2012, between 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm, the islands of the Philippines are set to go dark – all in the name of saving energy and keeping the planet green.
This, in a nutshell, is what Earth Hour is all about.
Every year, GMA Network aligns with WWF Philippines to help celebrate this global event. The lights of the Network’s headquarters in Quezon City go off during the annual Switch Off event. In 2011, GMA 7 had an expanded participation, so to speak, as its originating stations in various provinces also had their lights turned off for 60 minutes in commemoration of Earth Hour.
GMA’s commitment to be a green corporate citizen extends beyond its Earth Hour activities. In fact, it can be said that efficiently utilizing energy is a way of life in the Kapuso Network. Atty Felipe L Gozon, GMA Network Chairman and CEO, says that energy conservation is both a sound business decision and a corporate responsibility. “We implement activities and strategies to save energy and ensure cost efficiency – which is the goal of business organizations, especially those that are heavy power users, like a broadcast station. But more than that, we also want to do our share in nurturing a healthy planet because that is the right thing to do,” emphasizes Gozon.
In 2011, the Kapuso Network was even awarded the EcoBonus Award by Switch Asia under its Green Philippines Islands of Sustainability (GPIoS).
GMA Network’s energy conservation efforts have resulted in P1 million savings in electricity consumption. The Network’s specific efforts in relation to energy conservation include installation of Variable Speed drives for motors and pumps; replacement of halogen bulbs with LED lamps; replacement of mercury vapour lamps with CFL (compact flourescent lamps); replacement of 2X18 watts FL fixtures with 1X18 watts; installation of energy saving devices; displaying of energy saving reminder stickers; and, installation of timers for facade lights and spotlights.
GMA’s CSR activities focusing on the environment are all under the platform Kapuso ng Kalikasan.
