Solons mourn passing of former DENR Sec. Gina Lopez

Lawmakers from the House of Representatives on Monday mourned the passing of former Environment Secretary Gina Lopez.

In a statement, Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate expressed condolences and sympathies to the family and friends of the late environmental activist.

"Nawalan ng isang matapang na tagapagtanggol ng kalikasan sa pagkawala ni Gina. Pero we will continue her legacy and continue the struggle for the preservation of the environment," Zarate said.

Zarate had worked with Lopez during her stint as Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources when he was the chairman of the House natural resources committee in pushing for the People's Mining Bill during the 17th Congress.

Fellow Bayan Muna party-list Representative Eufemia Cullamat, meanwhile, remembers Lopez as being cheerful and jolly as she used to visit indigenous peoples' communities, learning their way of life and their struggle for their ancestral land.

"Napakamasayahin nya, positibo ang pananaw at palaging inuuna ang usapin ng kalikasan," said Cullamat, a Manobo solon.

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Ferdinand Gaite, on the other hand, recalls how dedicated Lopez was to her advocacy for the environment, even if she had to do it all by herself.

"Sec. Gina is on a league of her own in fighting for the environment. She does not care even if she has to go against big mining or logging companies, if they are destroying the natural order of things, she will do all she can to stop them," Gaite said.

Kabataan party-list Representative Sarah Elago, for her part, remembers Lopez as a "passionate" and "feisty" environmental defender.

"[Her] work against destructive mining forms huge steps towards dismantling of plunder and exploitation of our natural resources and labor. [Rest in peace], Ma'am," Elago said in a tweet.

Former Senator and now Antique Representative Loren Legarda also mourned Lopez's passing, saying that she has lost a "dear, good friend."

"Gina championed the protection of the environment. She was passionate, courageous and she knew what her purpose was. She lived a life dedicated to saving and preserving the environment for the younger generations. She treaded the paths most will unlikely take," Legarda said.

"One of the many things that I admire most about Gina was her humility. Despite all the blessings, she remained humble all through her life and embodied life dedicated to service," she added.

Lopez passed away before dawn on Monday at Makati Medical Center. She succumbed to multiple organ failure after battling brain cancer.

Malacañang mourned her passing and said she was one of President Rodrigo Duterte's most passionate Cabinet members.

The Palace also said Lopez's environmental advocacy and legacy "remains unparalleled to this day." 

Former and current Cabinet members also paid tribute to her. —KG, GMA News