By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Local environmental advocates expressed their sadness and frustration after the Commission on Appointments rejected Gina Lopez as Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary.
Green Alert Negros (GAN) coordinator Randy James Rojo called it a “sad day,” while both anti-mining advocates Kay Versoza O’Brien and Darlene Casiano of the Negros Island Bamboo Network claimed Lopez was the only person who cared about the environment.
“She is the only person who cares for our environment, our people,” said O’Brien.
While Casiano asserted, “We have never had someone like her; now, we can be sure that it will be back to the old game.”
Meanwhile, for Jun-Jun Mojica of the Save the Northern Negros Natural Park Movement, he pointed out, “The environmental struggle will always continue whoever sits as DENR secretary.”
Lopez is the second appointee of the President Rodrigo Duterte administration to be rejected by the commission, following former Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay, Jr.
Recently, Lopez proposed a number of reforms within the agency, including title reform, revising emission standards, introducing new fees for special use agreement protected areas, the creation of the Philippine Forest Certification System, among other items.
During her tenure at DENR, Lopez ordered the closure of 22 mines and the suspension of four operations, along with proposals to scrap 75 mineral production sharing agreements./WDJ