MANILA — Power consumers are being encouraged to reduce electricity use by joining a weekly one-hour energy conservation activity as the government responds to oil supply concerns linked to the Middle East conflict.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has launched the Oras Natin sa Efficiency (ONE), a program encouraging households and establishments to limit electricity consumption from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. starting Saturday.

The initiative is among the DOE’s measures under a national push to manage energy demand amid what officials described as a national emergency situation.

“In the current state of national emergency, ONE is aimed to encourage our citizens to be part of the solution,” DOE Energy Utilization Management Bureau Director Patrick Aquino said in an interview over Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon on Friday.

Aquino said the program builds on the results of Earth Hour, citing measurable reductions in electricity use during the global observance.

He said about 145 megawatts were saved during Earth Hour on March 28, equivalent to the power consumption of roughly one million households.

Aquino also urged consumers to practice simple conservation measures such as turning off and unplugging unused appliances.

He expressed hope that broader participation from both the public and private sectors would strengthen the program’s impact.

“It is not only the government that will implement this. We hope to bring participants from the private sector and cause-oriented groups in the coming days,” he added.