Belmonte to barangays: Reduce energy use
MANILA, Philippines — In response to the energy crisis due to the Middle East war, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has directed all barangays to implement cost-saving measures.
Belmonte issued a memorandum mandating 142 barangays to cut their monthly electricity and fuel consumption by at least 10 percent as part of efforts to reduce costs and stabilize energy supply.
Despite these energy-saving measures, Belmonte said frontline services should remain fast, efficient and uninterrupted.
“The effects of global instability are being felt at the community level,” Belmonte said. “Barangays must act decisively – reducing energy use while continuing to deliver responsive and reliable services to our people.”
Among the specific measures in the directive include limited use of air-conditioners from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and maintaining temperatures at 24 degrees Celsius, switching off non-essential lighting as well as turning off electricity in unused spaces.
City hall also directed shifting to LED and energy-efficient fixtures, banning personal appliances within barangay facilities, reducing unnecessary travel and instead adopting video conferencing as the default setup.
“Beyond internal operations, barangays are also ordered to help residents lower their energy costs by maximizing city programs such as the QCity Bus libreng sakay and the QC E-Services Platform, which provide accessible, efficient alternatives for mobility and government transactions,” city hall said.
The local government has shifted to a four-day workweek in response to a directive from Malacañang.
Belmonte also issued a separate executive order urging businesses and civil society organizations to adopt similar energy-saving practices and improve fuel efficiency.
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