MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Filipinos are being called to harness People Power for Climate Heroism by joining the Light it Forward Challenge to hand-build solar lamps for donation to remote communities while paying tribute to the Philippines’ role in the 500 years commemoration of the circumnavigation of the world and the creation of the United Nations 75 years ago.
Global grassroots movement Liter of Light made the call to action coinciding with the 35th anniversary of the People Power EDSA Revolution on February 25, 2021, which showcased Filipinos’ united action for peaceful change.
Rotary Club of Makati Business District of D3830 has joined the call and challenged Rotarians worldwide to take climate action to support solar energy in celebration of World Rotary Day on February 23 which signals the start of Rotary Week. The group noted how the Light it Forward campaign supports the 7 Areas of Focus of Rotary International – Peace & Conflict Resolution, Mother & Child Health, Disease Prevention, Basic Education & Literacy, Water Cleanliness, Economic & Community Development, and Supporting the Environment, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
Liter of Light’s Filipino Founder Illac Diaz revealed to GoodNewsPilipinas.com that the new series of Light it Forward challenges will be done in local communities of Metro Manila, starting with Makati City barangays with the help of the Rotary Club of Makati Business
District of D3830 led by Charter President Mache Torres-Ackerman and where Diaz is the President-Elect, Rotary District Cebu 3860, and Rotary International.
Liter of Light is currently organizing the world’s largest climate action by creating 4,000 solar lamps and using them to form the Visayan Warrior Tattoo symbol in Cebu to symbolize the heroism and faith of the Filipinos for the quincentennial commemorations of
the nation.
The 4,000 solar pipe lights to be donated to remote barangays are calculated to reduce carbon emissions by 4,000 tonnes and will be able to help 20,000 Filipinos who have no access to electricity. “We want to use this opportunity of the 500 years, not only to celebrate our heroes of the past but making you the heroes of the future and bring out the Filipino heroism even during times of Covid,” Filipino social innovator and Liter of Light founder Illac Diaz said.
Volunteers from the Barangays of Makati, Metro Manila are taking part in the Light it Forward Challenge to become climate champions and hand-build more solar lamps for the event.
Solar lamps built with Light it Forward will be used to create displays of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations to honor the international organization’s universal call to action for a better and more sustainable future.
The first seven solar logos of the SDGs will be displayed on parks, skyscrapers, and other public spaces in Metro Manila to honor the United Nations’ 75th anniversary. The Republic of the Philippines has been a partner of the United Nations for over seven decades and has been affiliated with the international organization since its conception.
Volunteers can support the ongoing Liter of Light projects by purchasing the award-winning Light it Forward campaign solar kits now available on Lazada e-commerce platform.
Participants can assemble the solar lights by hand at home to be donated to communities across the Philippines that need electricity. Check out the Lazada Light it Forward solar lamp workshop kit page at this link.
What is the Light it Forward Campaign?
These celebrities became solar engineers as they accepted the challenge to hand-build solar lamps for Light it Forward.
Light it Forward is a campaign that traces its beginnings in Diaz’s home where he and his family in the 2020 Covid lockdown created solar messages called the Good Light Messages of Hope in collaboration with GoodNewsPilipinas.com.
When the community quarantine started easing up the inspiring project evolved into the Light it Forward campaign led by the Liter of Light Foundation in partnership with GoodNewsPilipinas.com and the Rotary Club of Makati Business District of D3830 challenging Filipino artists, media, businesses, and ordinary people to hand-build Liter of Light solar lamps to be donated to communities without electricity while paying tribute to Covid frontline workers.
Light it Forward was recognized by the Asia Pacific Social Innovation and Partnership Awards (APSIPA) for engaging people to become solar energy advocates to defeat energy poverty and earned an ASEAN Champion recognition for Illac Diaz.
The Light it Forward campaign has counted on the support of over 120 celebrities, influencers, and artists, with an estimated total fan base of 30 million supporters.
Largest Solar Artworks
The nation’s solar artist, Illac Diaz, designed and built the large-scale solar artworks of the Philippine flag, Jose Rizal’s portrait, the Holy Rosary, and the quincentennial logo. Drone shots by Michael Paulo Sarayba.
The solar lamps produced by the participants of the Light it Forward video challenge have been used to create the world’s largest solar artworks of the Philippine flag, the portrait of the Filipino national hero Jose Rizal, and the Rosary for Healing, and the Quincentennial Commemorations logo as part of the 500th anniversary of the Victory of Mactan on April 27, 2021.
To learn more about the Liter of Light and the Light It Forward campaign visit the website here, the Liter of Light on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
