Today, the country mourns the loss of environmentalist Gina Lopez. She had been suffering from brain cancer and passed away due to multiple organ failure, as announced by the ABS-CBN Corporation. She was 65.
Gina Lopez initiated a number of corporate social responsibility programs in the country. As the Managing Director of the ABS-CBN Foundation, she launched Bantay Bata 163, the country’s first media based hotline. In 1999, she established Bantay Kalikasan, which addressed various environmental issues within the Philippines.
She also spearheaded a lot of environmental causes. Through the Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig project, she initiated the rehabilitation of the Pasig River and the nearby urban streams; an effort that led to her appointment as Chairperson of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission. She also initiated the reforestation of the La Mesa Watershed Reservation, which contains the last rainforest in Metro Manila.
During her brief stint as the Secretary for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), she established forums for consultations with indigenous people and established a hotline where the public could report any environmental violations directly to the office of the DENR.
In the days leading up to her passing, Gina Lopez actively promoted a sustainable lifestyle. She managed a social enterprise company that sold organic products, and hosted a show that promoted sustainable tourism.
Writer: ANGELA PATRICIA SUACILLO
