22 April 2014
Earth Day marked the start of installation of solar-powered lamps in several of Metro Manila's pedestrian pathways, beginning with a footbridge along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City.
Illuminating footbridges and other areas with a lighting system that is efficient, economical, and environment-friendly was the objective of the joint project of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
The lights, while power-saving, will also help make the pedestrian footbridges and other areas in the metropolis safer.
The TESDA-MMDA Light the City 2014 Project was the agencies' contribution to the celebration of Earth Day. Under the Memorandum of Agreement, both agencies pledged to provide solar-powered pedestrian lights on footbridges or other areas to 17 communities in the 17 cities in Metro Manila.
TESDA will provide for the cost of production and for the training of those who will engage in the assembly of the 34 low-carbon solar street lamps.
MMDA, on the other hand, will provide the participants who will undergo training in the assembly of the 34 solar street lamps. It will also recommend the footbridges where the lamps will be installed.
"With the help of MMDA, this is TESDA's contribution to the environment on Earth Day," Secretary Joel Villanueva, TESDA Director General, said.
"When the sun goes down, the solar-powered lamps will give off a full spectrum of light to the pedestrian bridges and to the street below. It will likewise brighten other areas in the communities," he added.
Villanueva signed the Memorandum of Agreement together with MMDA General Manager Corazon Jimenez on behalf of chairman Francis Tolentino for the implementation of the project.
The Earth Day project is an annual global activity characterized by switching off the lights by an hour to raise public awareness on the value of reducing electricity consumption to lower the amount of destructive carbon emission entering the atmosphere.
The Philippines is an active participant of the Earth Day project for 2014 to give due recognition to the almost 20 million Filipinos suffering from lack of access of electricity.
The Earth Day celebration of TESDA and MMDA was held at the TESDA Women's Center in Taguig City, which featured the signing of the agreement, a press conference, and the unveiling of assembled street lamps.
“As we celebrate Earth Day, we are also opening the actual training on the assembly of the solar street lamps in partnership with Mr. Illac Diaz of My Shelter Foundation,” Villanueva said.
Together with My Shelter Foundation, TESDA is implementing the Gift of Light project that provides training to skilled workers and volunteers on the assembly of solar-powered lamps for communities without electricity, such as those affected by typhoon Yolanda in the provinces in the Visayas.
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