These are part of the program to curb consumption amid the ongoing national energy emergency.
At a Palace press briefing on Friday, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin reported that more than 80 percent of government offices are now complying with the directive to reduce energy consumption.
“More than 80 percent are compliant with the directive of the President on energy efficiency. I think more than 20 percent ang masa-save,” Garin said. “Lahat ng agencies, including PCO (Presidential Communications Office), have been compliant with the requirements on lighting, air-con and also on conservation on fuel.”
As for the DOE itself, Garin said it has recorded savings of over 50 percent in fuel and electricity consumption and noted that the one-day work-from-home setup in DOE resulted in about 15 percent savings for the agency.
The energy chief also said that the department has inspected more than 500 government buildings to ensure compliance with energy-saving measures.
“There are good reports na marami talagang nag-work-from-home…We are really campaigning for energy efficiency, energy conservation,” she said. “We need to conserve because we are so dependent on petroleum. If we can save on our lighting, even sa kotse natin, minimize ‘yung travel natin, we can protect our economy.”
To further conserve energy, Garin said the DOE is preparing to launch a weekly Earth Hour initiative, which encourages households and offices to switch off non-essential lights for at least one hour every week.
“Next week or this week, we will start our weekly Earth Hour na lahat tayo mag-save ng energy at least one hour per week. Let’s make that part of our behavior, our activities in our daily lives,” she said.
Garin stressed the need to sustain energy efficiency efforts even beyond current global tensions, saying the country must strengthen “energy sovereignty.”
“It’s a whole-of-country approach. Tulung-tulungan lang po tayo,” with her adding that while global oil prices are beyond the government’s control, reducing consumption can help cushion the impact on the economy and extend fuel supply—which remains sufficient for at least 50 days.
