Filipinos urged to conserve electricity during Pacquiao-Mayweather fight

An energy official in the Philippines on Friday urged households to disconnect major appliances — but keep their televisions turned on — to avoid a mass blackout during Saturday night’s long-awaited bout between boxing champs Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.

Rante Ramos, secretary for the Palawan Electric Cooperative, said turning off refrigerators in 15,000 households could reduce electricity use by 2 megawatts, enough to compensate for the heavy demand television viewers will place on electricity grids when they tune in to see fellow countryman Pacquiao take on Mayweather, an American.

Ramos said air conditioners, washing machines and electric pots also consume a lot of electricity and should be turned off.

"If it is just for the Pacquiao fight, let us just leave electric fans and TVs on," Ramos said. "We have waited so long for this, and now that it will happen ... it is unacceptable not to have the opportunity to watch it."

Filipino Sen. Ralph Recto served notice to energy officials in February to do all they could to prevent power outages during the fight, which will take place at the MGM Grand Casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

Recto warned in a February statement that officials would be made “punching bags” if blackouts prevented the public from watching the fight.

"If the people won't be able to cheer Manny because power is out, they will jeer the government," he added.

Pacquiao, a politician, philanthropist, recording artist and action movie star, is a national hero in the Philippines, where his image is featured on everything from postage stamps to video games.

His rags-to-riches story, which includes him going from a young man who once lived on the hard scrabble streets of Manila to a boxing champion, has been a source of inspiration for millions of Filipinos. However, some have criticized his six-year tenure as a congressman, during which he never passed a single bill through committee. 

Pacquiao’s fight against Grand Rapids, Michigan native Mayweather will be for the WBC World Welter Weight Title. 

The highly anticipated matchup has been years in the making, thwarted by failed negotiations by both sides. Win or lose, Mayweather is set to earn about $180 million from the fight, while Pacquiao will earn about $120 million.

Filipino fans, however, worry they’ll miss the action.

Palawan Electric Cooperative, which operates in Palawan, the Philippines’ most populous province, regularly reports hours-long power outages. In fact, the country as a whole has struggled with expensive electricity costs and unreliable service for years.

The Philippines’ unpredictable power grid system has not only affected Filipinos’’ daily lives, but also made foreign direct investment in the country less attractive.

In lieu of adequate government response, Filipinos are taking matters into their own hands — for the fight at least.

Big power consumers – including malls, department stores and hotels – have agreed to disconnect from the grid and use their own power generators from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday to also help reduce the load.

"This is not only for the fight," Ramos said. "We also want to teach citizens to show concern for fellow citizens, and of course to save electricity." 

Al Jazeera and wire services