Gina Lopez Bio, Wiki
Regina Paz “Gina” La’O López was born on December 27th, 1953 and died on August 18th, 2019. She was a Filipino environmentalist and philanthropist who served as the Chairperson of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission. Gina Lopez served as Secretary of the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in an ad interim basis under President Rodrigo Duterte. She was also a yoga missionary and a pioneer for corporate social responsibility.
Gina Lopez Education
Gina Lopez went to the US for her college education. She attended Assumption College and Newton College of the Sacred Heart in Boston, and also went on to get a master’s degree in Development Management.
Gina Lopez Environmentalist
Gina Lopez served as the environment secretary of the Philippines for 10 months under President Rodrigo Duterte, until May 2017. Her appointment ended after the Commission on Appointments rejected it.
Rappler reported that during Lopez’s first speech as Environment Secretary, she said, “The best way to protect the environment is to improve people’s lives. That’s my experience.”
According ABS-CBN, Lopez was known for her efforts to crack down on the mining industry, rehabilitate the Pasig River and the La Mesa Watershed, and more. ABS-CBN’s current company chairman, Mark Lopez (a cousin of Lopez), said, “At an age when people are just figuring out what they want to do in life, she already knew her purpose. She left a comfortable life to devote her time and energy to help uplift other people’s lives.”
Giving a talk to the community of Kinatarcan… Then we will discuss what we can do… I'm so excited! pic.twitter.com/1NCOSp8r6q
— Gina Lopez (@iamGinaLopez) September 29, 2017
Gina Lopez Philanthropist
Besides her work with the ABS-CBN Foundation, Lopez also founded Bantay Bata 163, which is a helpline aimed at helping people report instances of child abuse.
Lope also founded Investments in Loving Organizations for Village Economies, an organization that seeks to lift communities out of poverty by establishing environmentally conscious businesses in the area.
Gina Lopez In Media
Despite all of her philanthropic and environmentalist work, Lopez somehow found time for television work as well. She produced multiple educational videos and shows for high schoolers, covering a range. These subjects include math, history, and English; you can see clips of them on her Twitter feed.
Gina Lopez Awards
Lopez was the first Filipino to be awarded the prestigious Seacology Prize in 2017. The international prize honors someone who has made an impact on bettering their environment. The awards committee specifically noted her efforts to end open-pit mining, as well as establishing consultations between the Filipino government and indigenous communities.
Lopez said she would donate her $10,000 prize to charity. Upon receiving the award, Lopez said, “When an international organization gives credit to an activity like this, it sends a message to everyone in the Philippines that the world thinks that this is important.”
Gina Lopez Husband & Children
Lopez met her ex-husband while doing missionary work in Africa according to Rogue Media. She wasn’t a missionary for religious purposes, but rather, a yoga missionary for twenty years, traveling through India and then Africa.
Lopez’s husband was her boss, she explained in another essay, though she didn’t clarify what exact role he held or at what point they met. However, they eventually married and had two sons together. To Rogue Media, Lopez wrote, “I eventually had to go home since I fell in love with my husband, who at the time was my boss. One can’t have relationships with the opposite sex as a missionary.”
Kinatarcan boat tour! Am soooo excited to swim. ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/3fS4uqe9an
— Gina Lopez (@iamGinaLopez) September 29, 2017
Gina Lopez Death & Cause (Multiple Organ Failure)
Gina Lopes died on August 18th, 2019 at the age of 65. According to Rappler, Lopez had been battling brain cancer in recent months, though her official cause of death was multiple organ failure.
Following news of her death, ABS-CBN Foundation (of which she was the chairperson for many years) released the following statement:
“Gina was the pillar of strength that pushed AFI to achieve what seemed to be impossible. Her caring heart and selfless kind of love inspired people within and beyond the organization to help and serve others…we lost a fervent advocate of children’s rights and protection, a passionate proponent of sustainable livelihood among the underprivileged, and an unswerving champion for environment preservation.”
Lopez’s family is asking for donations to the foundation in lieu of any flowers. You can learn more about the foundation here.
Gina Lopez Twitter
A look at Lopez’s Twitter profile depicts a profoundly dedicated environmentalist and a relentless optimist, whose cover photo reads, “If I can see it, I can do it. If I just believe it, there’s nothing to it. I believe I can fly.”
