MalacaƱang led the nation in mourning the passing of former Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural ResourcĀes (DENR) Regina Paz Lopez.
Presidential spokesman SalĀvador Panelo expressed āwith a heavy heartā the Palaceās sincerĀest condolences to Lopezās family, relatives, friends and loved ones.
āThe Palace deeply grieves the demise of one of President RoĀdrigo Roa Duterteās most passionĀate Cabinet members whose enĀvironmental advocacy and legacy remains unparalleled to this day,ā he said early yesterday.
āSecretary Lopez…took the bull by the horns when she fiercely fought powerful interests in the mining sector, as well as in inĀdustries having negative effect on our ecology. She would be greatly missed,ā he added.
āAs we pay tribute and give honĀor to this warrior and advocate, we fervently pray for the Almighty to grant her eternal repose. May the perpetual light shine upon her,ā he continued.
According to ABS-CBN, Lopez passed away early Monday after battling brain cancer. She was 65.
Lopez was the 1997 InternaĀtional Public Relations Awardee for Excellence for the Environment and the 2009 Outstanding Manilan Awardee for the Environment.
She was appointed as Duterteās Environment Secretary in 2016 but her stint did not last a year after the Commission on Appointments (CA) rejected her confirmation.
Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Pasig River RehaĀbilitation Commission (PRRC) paid tribute to Lopezās uncompromising stand to protect the environment.
āGina was a pure champion of the environment, bold and fearĀless in her advocacies, regardless of the consequences,ā DENR SecĀretary Roy Cimatu, who succeeded Lopez as chief of the agency, said. āShe was uncomprosing in protectĀing watersheds and imposing high standards of responsibility on the mining industry.ā
During her stint as DENR SecreĀtary from June 2016 to May 2017, Lopez ordered the closure or susĀpension of mining firms due to seriĀous environmental violations.
She also had plans to scrap minĀeral production sharing agreements with mining companies operating within or near watershed areas.
Likewise, Lopez came out with an administrative order requiring suspended mining companies to set aside R2 million per hectare of ādisturbed landā for farmers before they are allowed to transport their stockpiles. (Argyll Geducos and Ellalyn de Vera-Ruiz)