Laoag City—To set an example for the whole province, Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc released a memorandum last month, directing all Provincial Capitol departments and agencies to strictly observe practical energy-saving measures.
PGIN employees should “strictly comply” with the memorandum including a 15-minute rule of switching on and off the air conditioning units (ACU) mandating that all departments should turn on the ACU 15 minutes after official start of office hours and it should be turned off 15 minutes before the end of office hours.
Instead of using compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) and incandescent bulbs, offices are also advised to maximize the natural daylight and use energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LED). Moreover, office equipment such as computers and monitors should be set to energy-saving modes; while kitchen equipment such as refrigerator and water dispenser should be turned off every weekend or when not in use.
Mr. Manotoc is hopeful that through these practical yet effective ways, the provincial government will inspire the entire Ilocano community to conserve and manage their energy usage in order to address the issue of global climate change.
Since the start of his political career, the former senior board member has been very vocal about his advocacy for the protection and preservation of the province’s environment and natural resources, sponsoring pro-environment legislations such as the Ordinance No. 058-2019 for anti-littering and the draft Ordinance No. 2019-05-074 for anti-plastic. (Blessing Angel V. Agliam)