“If all of the 15 million Filipino households . . . shift to CFLs . . . the country can forego the construction of one 50-megawatt power plant costing US$50 million.”
by Ducky Paredes
About five years ago, I already switched – from incandescent bulbs to CFLs. Thus, it was with a sense of smugness that I watched the ceremonies yesterday whereby the President made official the shift from incandescents and 80-watt fluorescents to CFLs and T-8s.
Filipino households could save at least 80 percent in their electric lighting cost by switching to energy-saving CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) or T-8 fluorescent lights, according to proponents of a multi-sectoral initiative to conserve energy that they have called SWITCH. CFLs are those bulbs that fit in regular sockets but can look strange. They cost more than incandescent bubs but an 13-watt CFL gives as much light as a 60 watt incandescent.
SWITCH concretizes the most strategic social mobilization plans and activities arising from the Jan. 28-Feb. 5 Energy Summit organized by Energy Secretary Angelo T. Reyes to find solutions to the skyrocketing prices of oil and other petroleum products in the world and local markets.
Yesterday, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Secretary Reyes presided over the ceremonial SWITCH to CFLs and T-8s of 16 Metro Manila cities and one municipality.
Reyes said: “What we have here is a movement that would demonstrate how ordinary people and all sectors of our society can help address the dire consequences of skyrocketing oil prices and climate change.
“What needs to be done is for people to make fundamental changes in lifestyle and energy consumption habits. The switch to CFLs is one such fundamental change we Filipinos can effect to realize big savings in fuel and in the cost of constructing power plants.”
If all of the 15 million Filipino households (with each household using at least three light bulbs) shift to CFLs, according to data from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), we would all together save at least 47 megawatts. The 47-megawatt difference in the power requirement of 15 million households would mean that the country can forego the construction of one 50-megawatt power plant costing US$50 million.
A former environment secretary, Reyes points out that by reducing power consumption CFLs will reduce the country’s overall energy consumption, especially energy derived from highly polluting petroleum products.
SWITCH has brought together critical players in the social mobilization for energy security, including those from the national and local governments, non-government organizations, civil society, business, transportation, church, youth and the academe.
The movement urges us all to switch from:
Inefficient to efficient energy practices – starting with lighting, in workplaces, buildings, homes, public places;
Petroleum-based fuels to alternative fuels and cleaner technologies in the transport sector;
Kerosene to renewable energy sources for lighting and basic electricity in remote rural areas;
Fossil fuel-based technologies to renewable energy technologies in power generation, where feasible at the local level;
Vestiges of centralized consultative energy planning to more participative bottom-up energy planning at the local level
The main ceremonial venue for the launch yesterday was the PICC where President Arroyo pulled the ceremonial switch, that signified our commitment to switch to CFLs and thus also cut down on our use of fossil fuels.
Activities in the city halls of four of participating Metro Manila cities were projected on screens set up at the PICC.
Simultaneously, the cities led by the mayors will change incandescent bulbs and 40-watt fluorescent bulbs to CFLs and T-8s in their city halls, while the vice mayors and councilors will make the switch at designated public schools and public markets.
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If I have a favorite hospital, it has to be St. Luke’s Medical Center. I am not a sickly person but I do have a complete medical yearly. For the last five years, this has been at St. Luke’s and so far it has always been a pleasant experience despite the fact that there are always uncomfortable probes and tests that one is subjected to.
Thus, the P9-billion St. Luke’s Medical Center project at the Fort in Taguig, which is also apparently the Philippines’ biggest single-construction hospital undertaking to date that held a “topping-off” ceremony last Monday was a welcome one.
The new St. Luke’s will be completed by October 2009. This will be a a state-of-the-art medical facility.
St. Luke’s chairman Robert F. Kuan relates: “In 1903, St. Luke’s first opened its doors with a nine-bed ward. Today, 105 years later, we continue our tradition of caring and excellent customer service, with a second hospital that will have the same world-class expertise, state-of-the-art technology and customer service as St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City.”
St. Luke’s-Global City is in 1.6 hectares of prime space, which is accessible from all points of Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. It can accommodate 600 patient beds and will have a medical arts building with well-appointed doctors and administrative staff offices.
Seventy percent of the funding for the P9-billion project was sourced from internal corporate funding; additional funds wil come from loans and philanthropic donations.
When finished, St. Luke’s-Global City will have parking space for 1,400 vehicles and a helipad that is large enough for even Huey helicopters to land.
“We are challenged by our continuing success. Modesty aside, our biggest competition is ourselves. St. Luke’s-Global City is a tangible symbol of our commitment to deliver the highest quality care to Filipinos, our neighbors in Asia, and now the world,” said Joe Ledesma, St. Luke’s President and CEO.
Surely, St. Luke’s-Global City will maintain the standards of excellence that have earned for St. Luke’s-Quezon City the prestigious Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation.
St. Luke’s is the first hospital in the Philippines to be accredited by JCI, a subsidiary of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCHAO) in the United States.
JCHAO is the oldest and largest healthcare accrediting body in the US, which was set up to ensure that the quality of medical service in American hospitals are improved continuously.
But, you don’t have to look them up. Take my word for it: St. Luke’s whether in QC or GC is tops in its field!
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Gilbert Arenas, the NBA Star who visited Manila recently had nothing but good things to say about the country. Go to Arenas’ blog at http://my.nba.com. Where it says in the text “Agent Zero posters” click and this will take you to the blog of my nephew Sandro Paredes who put up a picture of Arenas decked out in really cool clothes. Apparently, too, he scrapped his retirement coming back from his trip where, in Manila, he says we made him feel that he was an NBA Star. He also mentions Gawad Kalinga and is in awe of what GK does! Gilbert Arenas is one really nice guy!
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hvp 07.16.08)
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