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News Top Stories Energy-saving movement launched
News Top Stories Energy-saving movement launched
| Energy-saving movement launched |
| Thursday, 17 July 2008 09:50 | ||||||
 The government is allocating P500 million for procurement of compact fluorescent lamps, jump-starting efforts to phase out incandescent bulbs by 2010.The P500 million will come from the government’s windfall from the 12 percent value-added tax (VAT) on oil and electricity, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said in a speech at Wednesday’s launch of a “movement” called Switch, led by the Department of Energy. The President reiterated that the government would not abolish VAT on oil and power, as some have proposed. She said the benefits that come from the VAT windfall far outweighed the added burden that this posed on consumers. The Switch movement was kicked off by the ceremonial lighting of compact fluorescent lamps in 16 cities and one town in Metro Manila, representing the start of the capital region’s shift to energy-efficient lighting systems. The Department of Energy said the Switch movement was a “social mobilization and information-education campaign to demonstrate how ordinary Filipinos can save power and help fight climate change.” Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said, “Switch is not a program, it’s a movement. It means switching from a lifestyle of expenditure and waste to a lifestyle of conservation and efficiency. It’s all about changing our way of life.” Switch also aims to promote a shift from petroleum-based fuels to alternative fuels such as biodiesel and bioethanol, he said. In rural areas, Switch will focus on getting users of kerosene for lighting to shift to renewable energy sources, particularly solar power. On the local level, Switch aims to promote development and use of renewable energy sources, such as wind and hydropower, where feasible. The government has also allocated P1.3 billion in funds for alternative fuel programs to help the transport sector cope with ever-increasing pump prices, Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Anneli Lontoc said at an Alternative Fuels Forum held Wednesday. Lontoc said the money would come from the government’s supplemental budget for 2008. She said P15 million would be used to create a master plan for the government’s alternative fuels program and P2 million would be spent to make a business plan for vehicle technology verification and testing.
Tags: Philippine President Gloria Arroyo P500 million procurement compact fluorescent lamps jump-starting phase out incandescent bulbs
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I think this is great - in the UK people waste energy like mad, and it seems to be a real struggle to get them to take the simplest energy saving measures (eg: using efficient light bulbs) - let alone big steps like installing double glazing. I think it would be great if movements such as this could be rolled out world wide - not just for phillipines