July is the month to remember our founder –Eugenio H. Lopez Sr. who was born on July 20, 1901 and who died on July 6, 1975. What is soinspiring about our founder was that he was a staunch nationalist who championed all things Filipino and endeavored to be of service to all Filipinos in his lifetime. If he were alive today, there is no doubt that he would be dismayed at the state of things, particularly how the natural beauty of our country is being sacrificed for the benefit of a few. Anyone who has flown over our once pristine emerald isles can’t help feeling a sense of loss at the sight of denuded mountains and filth floating on our seas.
But he would also be heartened to see his granddaughter Gina, at the forefront of the country’s environmental movement. Gina has bravely taken on the daunting task of facing greedy politicians and businessmen in a crusade to preserve the natural beauty of our country. From Estero de Paco to Calauan and the rich tropical forests of Palawan, Gina is taking on the challenge of preserving and cleaning up our environment and standing up against those who use their power against the poor and the powerless. A visionary like her grandfather, her dream is to eradicate poverty in record time without compromising the environment.
Gina has also found some isolated parts of our country that have managed to preserve their natural beauty and wonder. One of these is the island of Sibuyan, one of the three major islands making up Romblon province. The island has never been connected with any part of the Philippine archipelago— it was formed when “seismic forces pushed up a 2,000-meter peak from the earth’s crust, forming a series of smaller peaks. This is whyscientists have dubbed this island as the Galapagos of Asia. It has the world’s densest forest, the cleanest inland body of water (the Cantingas River, where you can drink the water straight from your palm), 36 documented large waterfalls, and numerous flora and fauna species. In fact, a National Museum study revealed that there are more than 1,500 trees per hectare of land in the Sibuyan forest.
In this month’s issue of Lopez Link, Gina talks about Sibuyan and the programs to ensure not only its natural beauty but also help in providing its people with sustainable means of livelihood. Gina is launching Sibuyan Island as an ecotourism hub… our local version of the famous Galapagos island.
Love for one’s country can be expressed daily through efforts to help shape the lives of our people in a way that enhances rather than diminishes our God-given treasures. Our founder was right. Indeed, our Lopez Group values of Nationalism and Social Justice, make us better Filipinos today and tomorrow. I hope that one day you and your family can visit Sibuyan if only to see how we can embrace progress and improve the quality of our people’s lives without compromising the natural beauty of a gem of an island that every Filipino should experience, be proud of, and be thankful for.
CEDIE VARGAS
