NP-NPC-LDP vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda, together with her celebrity endorser Pop Princess Sarah Geronimo, encourages Filipinos to participate in the global event, Earth Hour, tonight at 8:30 p.m.

Earth Hour is a campaign that started in Sydney, Australia in 2007.  Its aim is to spread awareness of climate change issues.  For the past three years, this global call brought different countries together in sending a message to world leaders in the lead-up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Denmark, which took place in December 2009.  This year, 100 countries have pledged their support to this event.

"Taun-taon naman, pinapatupad ito sa buong mundo na pinapatay nang panandalian lamang ang ilaw para makatipid sa kuryente na siyang nagpapalaganap ng pagbabago ng klima.  Kaya sa Earth Hour, 8:30 ng gabi, ang Luntiang Pilipinas at Philippine Climate Youth Movement ang siyang magpapatupad ng kontribusyon na shut all lights," said Senator Legarda at a press conference held this afternoon at Annabel's Restaurant on Tomas Morato, Quezon City.

In the vice-presidential forum of ABS-CBN called Harapan last Sunday, March 21, Senator Legarda was questioned by her colleague, Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Mar Roxas, for being so active in pushing environmental issues when, in fact, the Philippines is only one percent of the cause of pollution in the world. 

The lone female vice presidential candidate reiterated that it is important to educate Filipinos about the negative effects of climate change. 

She explained, "Kasi, maliwanag naman ho na bagamat tayo ay one percent lang ang kontribusyon sa pagpo-pollute sa mundo, tayo naman ang pinakanasasalanta, di ba?  Naalala niyo naman ang [mga bagyong] Ondoy at Pepeng, maski nasa middle class, mayayaman o mahihirap ay namatayan, nabaha, inanod ang lahat ng pinagkakakitaan sa Metro Manila, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Pangasinan.  Ngayong panahon ng El Niño, grabe.  Galing ako sa Norte, 200,000 na pamilya ang [apektado].  Iniinspeksyon ko ang mga taniman, maisan, talagang walang aanihin. 

"Hindi ba nila naiintindihan ang Ondoy, Pepeng, El Niño at iba pang nangyayari ngayon ay talagang nakakabit sa bituka ang isyu na ito.  Ang nakalulungkot dito, 'yong pinakamahihirap na ang siya pang lalong maghihirap sa panahon ng El Niño."

HARAPAN ISSUE.  Regarding last weekend's Harapan VP debate, Legarda said that many related to her disappointment when she supposedly scored low among participating viewers in this forum. 

The debate, which was aired live over Channel 2, ANC, Studio 23, and abs-cbnNEWS.com, utilized the Wireless Audience Response System (WARS) to get viewer feedback. Randomly-selected citizens in Metro Manila, Naga, Cebu and Davao were given a gadget, and while watching the debate could press different buttons to relay if he or she felt the candidate was being truthful or not after the candidate had answered a question.

According to the results, the senator had scored poorly.

However, Legarda said she has chosen to ignore last week's incident and move on with her campaign rallies.

She told the media, "Alam niyo, one week ago 'yon.  Ako kasi ang tao na hindi tumitingin kung ano ang mangyayaring masama, ako'y na-set up or whatever.  Pagpaliban na lang 'yon.  Marami o lahat ang hindi talaga naniwala dahil papaano ba 'yon, ako'y ginawang kulelat, four percent.  Talagang hindi kapanipaniwala. 

"Pero ayaw ko nang pahabain, at maliwanag ang gusto ko para sa bayan.  Ayaw kong makipag-away sa mga bagay na walang kakuwenta-kuwenta na hindi magbibigay ng pagkain sa mga tao.  Pero ang maliwanag, maraming hindi naniwala.  Pero alam mo, hindi ko sila inaway.  Wala, dahil ako, I've moved on.

"Ang importante, I was there in good faith, maganda ang mga sagot ko.  Kung mayroong stratehiya na ginawa sila... Hindi sinabi sa amin na merong mga live points na puwedeng maghakot ng mga tao, na puwedeng mag-set.  Hindi bale na 'yon.  Wala kayong maririnig sa akin.  Kung nag-set up man o hindi, for me, may tao doon, may Diyos sa 'taas, at may tao sa baba.  'Yan ang maghuhusga sa Mayo 10."

When asked if this was the reason why she and presidential candidate Manny Villar had declined ABS-CBN's invitation to take part in the Harapan presidential tandem forum supposedly this Sunday, March 28, Senator Legarda said it was not.