WWF-Philippines national ambassadors Nelson, Cojuangco-Jaworski, and Fernandez with WWF mascot Chi-Chi the Panda
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Philippines) national ambassadors Marc Nelson, Rovilson Fernandez, and Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski will be joining the roster of Asian celebrities who will serve as global ambassadors for this year’s Earth Hour, which will take place on Saturday, 23 March, from 8:30PM to 9:30PM.
Earth Hour CEO and Co-Founder Andy Ridley says, “Historically, international media has not fully acknowledged the power and influence of figures coming from Asia. This is fast changing. The fact that voices from celebrities across the region are so strong shows the power of their influence. After all, they represent more than four billion people—over half the world’s population.”
Nelson, Fernandez and Cojuangco-Jaworski will represent Asia for Earth Hour 2013 alongside Asia’s Next Top Model host Nadya Hutagalung and Indonesian actress Pevita Pearce.
This year, WWF-Philippines hopes to make the Philippines the number one participating country for the fifth year in a row. Since 2009, the Philippines has topped the ranking in terms of participants and has been touted as the Earth Hour Hero Country. In Earth Hour 2012, the Philippines broke its own record with 1,671 towns, cities and municipalities joining the hour-long switch-off.
Apart from being avid supporters of Earth Hour, the Philippines also actively participates in the I Will If You Will social campaign led by WWF-Philippines. In this campaign, one pledges to do a certain thing and then challenges someone else, a certain group or a population of people on the Internet to do something in return.
Hopping onboard the campaign is newly-appointed Earth Hour Philippines ambassador, equestrienne and actress Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski, who has pledged to give 500 seedlings to WWF-Philippines’ agroforestry program in the Abuan Watershed of Isabela if 500 people promise to quit smoking for five days.
She joins other WWF-Philippines national ambassadors, Rovilson Fernandez, who has pledged to conduct a free Cross-Fit class if 1000 people pledge to use reusable bags instead of plastic, and Marc Nelson, who pledged to kite-board from Boracay to Panay while wearing a Panda hat if 1000 people commit to use reusable water tumblers instead of disposable plastic bottles.
For more information on Earth Hour 2013 and the I Will If You Will campaign, visit wwf.org.ph/earthhour or tune into updates at facebook.com/WWF.Philippines or twitter.com/WWF_Philippines.