Regina Paz "Gina" La'O Lopez (1953 – 2019) was a Filipino environmentalist and philanthropist who served as the Chairperson of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission. She served as Secretary of the Philippines' Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on an ad interim basis under President Rodrigo Duterte. She was also a yoga missionary and a pioneer for corporate social responsibility.
Anti-mining advocate Gina Lopez dies at 65 after battling with cancer
Regina Paz “Gina” L. Lopez, the former Environment secretary who rattled the mining industry after she shut down erring large-scale operations, has died. She was 65.
Ms. Lopez passed away on Aug. 19 due to multiple organ failure, according to ABS-CBN News. In January 2018, Ms. Lopez posted on Facebook that she was battling cancer. “Gina Lopez was a champion for the environment, child protection and the disadvantaged,” ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc., where Ms. Lopez was chairperson, said in a statement yesterday. “She exemplified a life of service to humanity with a deep desire to improve people’s lives.”
Ms. Lopez served as Environment chief for less than a year through May 2017, before Congress rejected her appointment by President Rodrigo R. Duterte because of her anti-mining stance. The environmental advocate and philanthropist shuttered more than a dozen mining operations and suspended more after months of an audit. She also banned open-pit mining and wanted to cancel mining contracts near watersheds.
Famous for
- Filipino environmentalist and philanthropist
- Anti-mining Advocate
Early life of Gina Lopez
Gina Lopez was born on 27 December 1953 in the Philippines. She holds Filipino nationality. Her birth name is Regina Paz "Gina" L.Lopez with the birth sign of Capricorn and was born to Eugenio Lopez, Jr. who is ABS-CBN Chairman and mother Chita Lopez. She also had six siblings including ABS-CBN Chairman Eugenio Lopez III. Regarding her education, Lopez attended Assumption College and Newton College of the Sacred Heart in Boston. She held a master's degree in Development Management from the Asian Institute of Management.
Body measurements of Gina Lopez
There is no information currently regarding her height and weight though Gina has an average height with slim body physique and had black eyes and short black hair.
Career of Gina Lopez
- After her study, Lopez left her privileged life in Manila and became a yoga missionary for twenty dedicated years and lived in Portugal, India, and Africa.
- When she returned to the Philippines, she initiated corporate social responsibility programs for the environment and Filipino communities.
- She became the Managing Director of the ABS-CBN Foundation.
- She initiated Bantay Bata 163, the country’s first media-based hotline.
- She established Bantay Kalikasan, for which she received the 1997 International Public Relations Award of Excellence for the Environment and Outstanding Manilans Award for the Environment, 2009.
- She produced educational television shows on Science, Math, Values, History, and English for elementary and Philippine Literature for high school
- For Sineskwela, Ms. Lopez was honored with the UNESCO Kalinga Award.
- Lopez also initiated the rehabilitation of the Pasig River and nearby urban streams through the Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig project.
- For her efforts in rehabilitating the river, she was appointed in 2010 by President Benigno Aquino III as the Chairperson of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission.
- Lopez also launched the Save Palawan Movement along with her partner organizations and gathered 7 million signatures for a petition for protection of key biodiversity areas and against mining.
- Lopez was a vehement anti-mining advocate, known for her stance against large-scale mining in the province of Palawan.
- During a courtesy visit with President Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City, Lopez initiated an environmental lecture for Duterte about the need for a better national environmental policy and was formally appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte to head the Department of Environment and Natural Resources or DENR.
- Lopez hosted an environmental show on ABS-CBN, entitled G Diaries, which premiered on June 4, 2017.
- Lopez became the first Filipino to be awarded the prestigious Seacology Prize on October 5, 2017, in Berkeley, California
Additionally,
- She also had won UNESCO Kalinga Award and 2017 Seacology Prize
Personal life of Gina Lopez
Is Gina Lopez married?
Gina Lopez was married and also divorced. She met her husband in Africa during her yoga missionary though she never disclosed the name of her husband. But they had two sons named Roberto and Benjamin.
Death of Gina Lopez
What was the cause of her death?
Lopez died of multiple organ failure related to the disease at Makati Medical Center on August 19, 2019, at the age of 65 though the diseases are not yet disclosed. Lopez was earlier diagnosed with brain cancer.
Net worth of Gina Lopez
Gina Lopez spent her life working in various organizations and helping poor people. She always looked for social work rather than earning money as she belongs to a wealthy family. Before her death, her net worth was estimated to be around $200,000.
