Earth Hour, a project of World Wide Fund (WWF) that began in Sydney, Australia, calls on individuals and businesses around the world to switch off their lights for one hour every last Saturday of March.

As the Flagship City , Makati will endorse the movement and have a citywide participation to symbolize the solidarity of Makati with the rest of the world.

“We are honored by these key roles conferred on us by the World Wide Fund in this year’s observance of Earth Hour.

We thank them for recognizing our efforts to support initiatives aimed to address climate change, including our observance of Earth Hour which is shaping up to be a multi-sectoral, citywide undertaking that involves the barangays and all public and private sectors in Makati,” Binay said.

The WWF has also lauded the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Makati for passing City Resolution No. 2008-056 declaring a daily Earth Hour for the city.

As Earth Hour Ambassador, Binay will lead a ceremonial countdown on March 28, Saturday, at Tower One and Exchange Plaza on Ayala Avenue , which will start with a short program at 7pm.

At exactly 8:30pm, all lights on lampposts in six major roads and public buildings in Makati will be switched off.Businesses in the Makati Central Business District (CBD) are also expected to take part in the event.

The Makati Fire Department and churches in Makati will sound their sirens and bells as the cue for participants to turn off their lights.

Makati’s 33 barangay halls have also been asked to turn of their lights, and all the city’s barangay chairs have committed to encourage residents to switch off at the appointed time all or some of their household lights for one hour.

Likewise, Binay directed the Makati Police, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the barangay Bantay Bayan to maintain high visibility during the one hour lights-off period, which will be duplicated in key cities in Europe, Asia and the Americas .

So far, 83 countries, 2,398 towns, cities, and municipalities, 18,783 businesses, 5,841 organization, and 7,843 schools have pledged their support to this worldwide event.

Earth Hour is the world’s largest mass participation event that aims to heighten awareness on climate change and symbolize that by working together, the people of the world can make a difference in the fight against global warming.

MANILA, Philippines – Brig. Gen. Jorge Segovia (APO Eta ’74) received the Distinguished Service Star yesterday for leading his men in dismantling two New People’s Army fronts in Laguna and downsizing three more in Batangas in 2007 and 2008. The former commander of the Army’s 202nd Infantry Brigade led awardees during the Army’s 112th anniversary in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig yesterday. Segovia is now assigned to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Command Center.

The Distinguished Service Star was also awarded to Lt. Col. Lope Dagoy, former commander of the Army’s 19th Infantry Battalion in the Visayas, and Maj. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu, Army chief of staff.

The Gold Cross Medal was pinned on 1Lt. Albert Ortiz for gallantry in action. He led the Scout Rangers against the Abu Sayyaf and rogue Moro National Liberation Front bands in Indanan, Sulu in February 2007. Nineteen terrorists and 10 others were wounded in that encounter.

The Gold Cross Medal was also awarded to 1Lt. Roberto Bulosan who led his men in a shootout with NPA rebels in Salcedo town in Ilocos Sur. Three rebels were killed in the encounter and the soldiers recovered several high-powered firearms. First Lt. Roberto Bulosan also received the Gold Cross for leading his men in killing 15 NPA rebels during an encounter in Claver, Surigao del Norte on June 29.

The Gold Cross was also pinned on Sgt. Antipas Balolo, who led his platoon in a clash that killed two NPA rebels in Sta. Cruz, Davao City. Lt. Col. Noel Detoito, of the 542nd construction battalion, received the Gawad sa Kaunlaran for spearheading the construction of houses as part of the Kalinga sa Kawal project at Camp Minuyan in Murcia town in Negros Occidental.
He also headed the construction of soldiers’ quarters at the Benito Ebuen Air Base in Lapu-Lapu City. The Bronze Cross for heroism was awarded to Maj. Apollo Jun Lamaton, who was responsible for the capture of NPA leaders in Central Luzon. S/Sgt. Oscar Beltran was also awarded the Bronze Cross for heroism for having rescued 17 people in Panay Island at the height of typhoon “Frank” last year.

The Kagitingan sa Barangay (Maginoo) was given to militiaman Bernardo Aniel who figured in an encounter with heavily armed NPA rebels in Irosin, Sorsogon in September 2006, during which a rebel was killed. The command plaque was awarded to S/Sgt. Allan Rafer for being the “Best Enlisted Personnel of the Year;” active auxiliary Reinier Maquinta for being the “Outstanding Civilian Active Auxiliary of the Year;” Capt. Roy Castronuevo for being the “Reservist Officer of the Year;” M/Sgt. Jovencio Batalla for being adjudged as the “Reservist Enlisted Personnel of the Year.”

April Mark Ventura of the Mariano Marcos State University and Leonelyn Latina were awarded the Best ROTC cadets of the year.
Army chief accountant Editha Santos was awarded the Model Civilian Supervisor of the Year. Santos received the award because the Army believes she is not part of the alleged irregularities in the bidding process on the purchase of combat boots and uniforms, according to Army spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner. Marilyn Payumo, a psychologist, was awarded as Model Civilian Employee of the Year.

Lito Cuyag received the “Best Boni Aide” of the year, while Ignacio Laroya was given the “Best Grave Digger” award. Silverio Felipe, a mechanic, received the Best Skilled Worker award, while Pakigdait Inc. and Balay Mindanao Foundation were awarded Best Non-Government Organizations. The provincial social welfare and development office of Cagayan province was adjudged the Outstanding Local Government Authority for supporting the Army’s various civil military operations.

The Army also awarded plaques to Porac, Pampanga Mayor Rogelio Santos, Tarlac Rep. Jeci Lapus; Capas, Tarlac Mayor Reynaldo Catacutan and Kiwanis International for supporting the Army’s projects.

By Marlon Ramos / Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:52am (Mla time) 06/19/2008

MANILA, Philippines – On the day marking the University of the Philippines’ 100th year, members of a fraternity known for its “Oblation Run” made sure that their presence would be felt and seen in a big way.

A hundred naked members of the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) fraternity Wednesday held a special edition of their yearly “Oblation Run,” which they dubbed the “Centennial Run.”

“This is our fraternity’s way of honoring UP on its centennial,” said APO member Menggie Cobarrubias. Cobarrubias, who joined APO in 1970, said the hardest part in organizing the Centennial Run was getting 100 frat men to participate in the activity.

“We had to invite ‘brods’ from other schools. We had APO members from as far as UP Los Baños who joined this activity,” he said.

Hit

The event was such a hit among students, faculty members and other spectators that it virtually outshone the other activities scheduled in the day-long celebration of the university’s 100th Foundation Day, including the fund-raising drive for the renovation of Vinzons Hall.

“Apart from the usual protests, APO’s activity is another way for students to voice out their concerns over issues confronting the university,” said Terry Ridon, UP student regent and spokesperson of Serve the People UP.

“I’m sure Malacañang will be able to watch the run and see the overwhelming call of different sectors for President Macapagal-Arroyo to step down,” Ridon said, referring to several streamers displayed on the campus bearing the President’s face and underneath it, the words, “Oust GMA.”

Three hours before the event, which began at around noon, a crowd of 2,000 had started to gather in front of Vinzons Hall where the “streakers” were expected to emerge.

Masks

The APO members then came out, gold masks on top of white T-shirts covering their faces. Immediately, the spectators – mostly females – screamed and trained their digital cameras, video cameras and mobile phone cameras on the young men who started handing out red roses to some of the women in the crowd

Some women were too shy to receive the flowers but others were more game, even posing for pictures with the frat men

“I’ll keep this as a good remembrance of my experience here,” a Caucasian woman holding a rose told the Inquirer. “I never expected it would be this exciting,” she added. Some elderly women in the crowd gleefully cheered on the barefooted runners. “It has been quite a while since I saw something like this,” a 55-year-old woman said with a laugh.

As the runners made their way to the Oblation statue in front of Quezon Hall, the UP administration building, other APO members served as marshals, protecting the runners from the enthusiastic crowd

Frat brother

Older members of the fraternity led by Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay showed up at the event to support their “brods.”

Binay said he was proud of his fraternity’s tradition, which started as a prank but has since evolved into a venue for airing socially-relevant slogans.

Asked if he ever took part in an Oblation Run, he replied, “No. I joined APO in 1960, way before the run started. But I would love to.”

The runners also stopped at Palma Hall before gathering at Quezon Hall, the UP administration building. They posed for photographers, sang the fraternity hymn and then left on board several vehicles

Prank

Cobarrubias said the APO run was actually patterned after streakers in Hollywood. “We started it as a prank when the Marcos dictatorship did not allow the showing of the play, ‘Hubad na Bayani’ which starred Robert Arevalo and myself,” he said.

Five members of the fraternity that sponsored the play – a political satire on then President Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorial rule – ran on campus with nothing but masks on

“What used to be illegal and clandestine is now a much-awaited UP event,” he added.

In 2005, the annual run was marred by the presence of two nude women who grabbed the attention from the male streakers. APO said they “felt insulted” by the incident, saying they do not allow women to join in the activity. In 2000, runners called for the resignation of then President Joseph Estrada, now one of Binay’s closest friends and a political ally.

Photos by Brod Tito Garcia and Sis Maybelle Raquel.