A business owner in Bulacan urged the Department of Energy (DoE) to ensure power interruption does not happen with the onset of the dry season, as her laundry shop business is purely dependent on both electricity and water.

The plea was amid the encouragement of the DoE for the public to be responsible for consuming energy and water, coinciding with the celebration of Earth Hour 2025 on Saturday night.

“How can we conserve power with this kind of business? The more customers we would serve, which is ideally what we are aiming for, the more we will consume power and water,” Jane Charmagne Leongson-Anies, who runs three branches of Bubble Club laundry stations in three barangays of Sta. Maria, Bulacan, asked.

“What we hope is to prevent rotating brownouts. We incur heavy losses during brownouts and we cannot rely on generators,” she told the DAILY TRIBUNE.

On Saturday, the DoE reminded the public to adopt responsible energy and water conservation practices.

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With the theme “Switch Off and Secure Water for All,” this year’s Earth Hour highlights the vital connection between energy conservation and water security, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices to protect these essential resources for future generations.

Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla underscored the interdependence of energy and water, stressing that every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed requires water, whether for cooling processes in thermal power plants, hydropower systems, or the energy needed to pump, treat and distribute water.

“Using energy judiciously is not just about reducing consumption --- it is about preserving life itself. Every watt saved is a drop of water protected, reinforcing the delicate balance of our environment. By embracing energy efficiency and conservation, we do more than cutting emissions, we secure the future of our most vital resources for generations to come,” Lotilla said.

He said Earth Hour is more than a symbolic event --- it is a global movement for change.

“Through small but consistent actions, individuals, businesses, and communities can make a lasting impact on energy and water conservation, strengthening climate resilience and promoting a more sustainable way of life,” Lotilla added.

Earlier, advocacy group ILAW revealed that businesses, particularly micro, small, and medium enterprises, remain reeling with energy woes and are incurring millions of revenue losses in the tourist-concentrated Siargao Island, Puerto Galera, Cebu, and the Island Garden City of Samal.

According to ILAW’s focused group discussion study, 74.29 percent of MSME respondents said they are losing P10,000 to P30,000 per day, while large businesses incur P100,000 revenue losses daily due to power outages in those said areas.

The study further stated that sans electricity, businesses are forced to stop or delay operations, requiring enterprises to implement cost-cutting measures such as reducing staff, cutting down inventory, and/or limiting operational hours.