Sayang si Gina Lopez. I like her passion for the environment and great love for the poor. I appreciate her efforts in putting up EcoPark, and I saw it first hand because I have been there at least twice.
But politics and mutual allegations about protecting miners from both sides aside, I believe that her answers to their questions (at least to the portions I watched on TV) contributed to her rejection by the Commission on Appointments (CA). She was short on administrative matters and came too strong like a knight in shining armor, which generally is the attitude of idealistic persons the first time they enter government.
That also was my attitude when I held a civilian position. The problem with government is that while you are working to accomplish your job, you have to protect your rear and flanks from coworkers who want to take over your position, from the affected sector, and from the biased—if not uninformed—media.
I learned that to initiate reform, you have to accept that you can only do or contribute so much in your lifetime such that even Rizal failed in his projection what the Philippines would be a century hence. Initiating reforms is like crossing a river. One may have to swim diagonally with the current.
As long as one accomplishes his part of the reform and is not corrupted along the way, that should already be a big accomplishment.
I am a very small contributor to Greenpeace, but I have told them that there are always tradeoffs between the environment and development, just like in our jobs.
I appreciate the hesitation of President Duterte to sign the climate change protocol then, and agree to the activation of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, because of this tradeoff: We need cheap power to catch up with the developed countries.
Gina Lopez is an action lady, she can still and should be tapped for other positions that do not need CA confirmation.
MARIANO R. SANTIAGO, attymarianorsantiago@gmail.com