In her post way back in 2017, the late Gina Lopez wanted to rehabilitate the Marikina Watershed since she considered it as the surrounding cities’ first line of defense against flooding. She heard the people’s cries that the Watershed needed to be reforested.
She posted this last 2017 with a number of photos taken from the Marikina Watershed with the caption: “I’m currently in a shoot for the second season of G Diaries. Our first episode, which will air this December will be on the Pasig River. So, we took aerial shots of the Pasig River… But I also wanted to visit the Marikina Watershed because many people say it needs to be reforested. It is important that we rehabilitate this watershed because it is the first line of defense of Marikina, Quezon City, Antipolo, Pasig, Cainta, San Mateo, etc., against rainwater surging from the uplands of Luzon. So these are photos I took near the Marikina Watershed…THAT QUARRYING IS ILLEGAL BECAUSE IT IS IN A WATERSHED!!!!!! IT SHOULD NOT BE THERE BECAUSE IT WILL CAUSE FLOODING IN METRO MANILA!!!!!! I was shocked to see it… As long as there is quarrying there and the Marikina Watershed is denuded, the Pasig River water will be brown!! And it will become more and more shallow – and it will cause flooding in Metro Manila! It is imperative that the Marikina Watershed is reforested!!!!!”
I’m currently in a shoot for the second season of G Diaries. Our first episode, which will air this December will be on…
Posted by Gina Lopez PH on Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Unfortunately, she never had the chance to do what she wanted for the Marikina Watershed. She was rejected by the Commission on Appointment as the DENR chief. Adding to this, she was also battling cancer. On August 19, 2019, the philanthropist passed away at age 65.
A year has passed and her plan to rehabilitate Marikina Watershed has resurfaced. With Typhoon Ulysses causing floods all over Mega Manila, her warnings became true.
Netizens recalled her reminder about the watershed needing rehab.
@chefkenooleo tweeted, “The late Gina Lopez warned us in 2017 but instead she was ignored and kicked from a position where she could have helped more.”
https://twitter.com/chefkenooleo/status/1327084268867076096
Even ABS-CBN noticed the 2017 post of Gina Lopez to have the watershed reforested.
LOOK: Gina Lopez's 2017 post urging watershed reforestation goes viral after metro floods https://t.co/tgTwdYPwWh
— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) November 13, 2020
@TitaFaney tweeted, “If they had only listened to Gina Lopez. The time to act on this is now.”
If they had only listened to Gina Lopez. The time to act on this is now. pic.twitter.com/rzThPrYvdb
— Fear Not My Child (@TitaFaney) November 13, 2020
The government did not heed Gina’s advice to have Marikina Watershed be rehabilitated. As a result, thousands of properties have been lost to floods, and some have even lost their lives.
@angheliyaluna posted a photo on Twitter with a caption, “Miss Gina Lopez watching us from the heavens:”
Miss Gina Lopez watching us from the heavens: https://t.co/6RaeW0eEu7 pic.twitter.com/TQPdvmPPN2
— plague goat (@anjeliyaluna) November 13, 2020
Casualties would have been minimal if the government actually listened and put into action the late Gina’s advocacy to rehabilitate Marikina Watershed.
The late philanthropist and Environmental Secretary Gina Lopez had a number of contributions to the Filipino people. She founded the ABS-CBN Foundation, created the Bantay Bata 163 helpline, established Bantay Kalikasan, and instituted the Investments in Loving Organizations for Village Economies (iLOVE) Foundation.
She also produced a number of educational television shows for children, including the popular program Sineskwela.
Her environmental advocacies were: initiating the rehabilitation of the Pasig River, the reforestation of the La Mesa Watershed Reservation, and the Save Palawan Movement.
