Gina Lopez facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gina Lopez
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Lopez in 2017
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| Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources | |
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Ad interim
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| In office June 30, 2016 – May 3, 2017 |
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| President | Rodrigo Duterte |
| Preceded by | Ramon Paje |
| Succeeded by | Roy Cimatu |
| Chairperson of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission | |
| In office August 23, 2010 – August 19, 2019 |
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| President | Benigno S. Aquino III Rodrigo Duterte |
| Preceded by | Horacio C. Ramos |
| Succeeded by | Jose Antonio E. Goitia |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Regina Paz La'o Lopez
December 27, 1953 Manila, Philippines |
| Died | August 19, 2019 (aged 65) Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines |
| Cause of death | Brain cancer |
| Citizenship | Filipino |
| Spouse | Sona Roy (separated) |
| Children | Roberto "Bobby" Roy Benjamin "Ben" Roy |
| Parents | Eugenio Lopez Jr.(father) Conchita La'o(mother) |
| Relatives | Lopez family |
| Alma mater | Assumption College Boston College Asian Institute of Management |
| Occupation |
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Regina Paz "Gina" La'o Lopez (December 27, 1953 – August 19, 2019) was a Filipino environmentalist and a kind person who helped others. She served as the Secretary for the Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). This was a temporary role under President Rodrigo Duterte.
Before that, she led the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission for two presidents. Gina Lopez was also a yoga teacher and a leader in helping companies do good for society.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Gina Lopez was born on December 27, 1953, in Manila, Philippines. Her father was Eugenio Lopez Jr., who led ABS-CBN Corporation. Her mother was Conchita La'o. Gina had six brothers and sisters.
She went to Assumption College and Newton College in Boston, USA. Even though she didn't finish a bachelor's degree, she earned a master's degree. This was in Development Management from the Asian Institute of Management. She had two sons, Roberto and Benjamin.
Helping Communities and the Environment
After studying in the United States, Gina Lopez chose a different path. She became a yoga missionary for 20 years. During this time, she lived in Portugal, India, and Africa. In Africa, she met her future husband.
As a missionary, she taught yoga and ran schools for young children. She also managed homes for children who needed help. She lived among people in poor areas, believing that "Service to humanity is service to God."
Leading Social Programs
When Gina Lopez returned to the Philippines, she started many programs. These programs helped the environment and Filipino communities. She became the Managing Director of the ABS-CBN Foundation.
She created Bantay Bata 163, which was the country's first hotline for children. In 1997, Bantay Bata won a big award from the United Nations. It was chosen as the best among 187 countries.
Gina also started Bantay Kalikasan, a program for the environment. For this, she received an award for excellence in public relations for the environment in 1997. She also got an award for outstanding Manilans in 2009.
She produced educational television shows for students. These shows taught Science, Math, Values, History, English, and Philippine Literature. For her show Sine'skwela, she received the UNESCO Kalinga Award. She was the first person from Southeast Asia to get this special award.
She also helped small business owners. She was the Vice-Chairperson of the ABS-CBN Bayan Foundation. This foundation gave small loans to people starting businesses. She also led the Southeast Asian Children's Television.
Protecting Rivers and Forests
Gina Lopez also worked to clean up the Pasig River and other city streams. She started the "Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig" project. The Pasig River was once very important but became one of the most polluted rivers in the Philippines.
Because of her efforts, President Benigno Aquino III appointed her in 2010. She became the Chairperson of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission. Her work helped clean many parts of the Pasig River system. She also helped replant trees in the La Mesa Watershed Reservation. This is the last forest area in Metro Manila.
She also created Bayanijuan, which means "Country of Juan." Gina Lopez also launched the Save Palawan Movement. She and her partners collected 7 million signatures. This petition asked for protection of important natural areas and against mining.
Gina Lopez was strongly against large-scale mining. She especially opposed it in Palawan, an island known for its natural beauty. She supported the "No Mining In Palawan Movement." She also did not want to use fossil fuels for energy.
Serving as Environment Secretary
President Rodrigo Duterte asked Gina Lopez to be his Secretary for Environment. She accepted and was officially appointed to lead the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Some people criticized her appointment at first. They thought her family name, Lopez, was linked to big businesses.
Taking Action for the Environment
On her first day, she started working right away. She checked all mining sites and companies in the country. She took away environmental permits from many mining companies. This happened because they broke environmental laws. This was the first time an environment secretary had done something like this.
Many people supported her work as DENR secretary. Some even apologized for their earlier criticisms. She stopped mining operations in important areas. These included Semirara Island in Antique, Eastern Samar, and Surigao del Sur. She also stopped mining in the Cordillera Administrative Region.
Gina Lopez believed the Philippines should use 100% renewable energy. She strongly said, "The Philippines does not need mining." Her views were based on years of research about mining's effects. She also said there would be no mining in Palawan.
Within two months, she checked all mining companies across the country. She also supported indigenous people. She created ways for the DENR to talk with indigenous groups. This was also a first for a DENR secretary.
She set up a public hotline for the DENR. People could report environmental violations directly to her office. She was also against nuclear energy. She preferred wind and solar power plants. She thought they were cheaper and better for the long run.
She announced that protected areas would be returned to their natural state. She also pushed for more protected areas, like the West Panay Mountain Range National Park. She wanted the UP Arboretum to be an ecological paradise. People living there would help develop it.
Some big businesses and politicians who supported mining criticized her policies. However, many environmental and human rights groups supported her. Most Filipinos also supported her environmental plans. She became known as a champion for environmental protection.
Challenges and Rejection
On May 3, 2017, Gina Lopez's appointment as Environment Secretary was rejected. The Commission on Appointments voted 8 to 16 against her. This happened because of her strong policies and claims of her being unable to do the job.
After the decision, Lopez thanked the eight members who voted for her. She asked lawmakers to think about poor people, not just big businesses. She said it was sad that "business interest have in fact run the day."
After Government Service
After leaving the DENR, Gina Lopez hosted an environmental show. It was called G Diaries and started on June 4, 2017, on ABS-CBN. The show focused on protecting the environment and new ideas.
On October 5, 2017, she received the Seacology Prize in Berkeley, California. She was the first Filipino to get this award. The prize is given to people who protect island environments and cultures. It recognized her courage in fighting for the Philippines' environment. It also honored her for giving island communities a voice. She was also praised for starting talks between the government and indigenous groups. She was also recognized for banning open-pit mining.
Later that month, she campaigned against lifting the open-pit mining ban. She had put this ban in place as DENR secretary. The new DENR Secretary, Roy Cimatu, supported lifting the ban. This made environmental groups upset. President Duterte also supported lifting the ban. On October 24, the ban was officially lifted.
Death and Legacy
Gina Lopez was diagnosed with brain cancer. She passed away on August 19, 2019, at age 65. She died from organ failure related to her illness.
In February 2020, the ABS-CBN Foundation Building was renamed. It became the Gina Lopez Building to honor her.
Awards
- United Nations Grand Awardee for Excellence (1997) for Bantay Bata 163
- International Public Relations Award of Excellence for the Environment (1997)
- Outstanding Manilans Award for the Environment (2009)
- UNESCO Kalinga Award (first Southeast Asian to receive it)
- 2017 Seacology Prize
