Many thanks to Gina Lopez

IN THE face of the challenges that Bantay Kalikasan Eco-Academy is facing today, we would like to express our sincerest gratitude to Ms Gina Lopez and the ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. for heeding our request for assistance to our municipality. We would like to thank them for their full commitment in helping protect the environment and introduce alternative livelihood to our constituents, the members of our indigenous peoples community, in particular. By setting up the Bantay Kalikasan Eco-Academy, we have not only promoted the preservation of our rich biodiversity but the cultural heritage of our native Palaw’ans as well. We thank them for their thoughtfulness, for supporting us in our struggle in uplifting the quality of life of our people.

BK Eco-Academy was launched while several plans—e.g., the establishment of our municipal airport, the aggressive marketing of our handicrafts in Metro Manila and in foreign countries—were in line for implementation. We are asking them to stay courageous and to stay with us. The assistance they have extended to us and those they may extend later, in many aspects, bring hope and joy to our constituents, young and old alike.

If only Ms Gina’s detractors know and completely understand that aside from achieving her goal in preserving the environment, she gains nothing for herself, and if they really have good intentions, we believe they may change their minds and join in our advocacy instead. Ms Gina’s genuine desire to help is being felt by everyone here who truly yearns the preservation of the environment and alleviating poverty.

Nevertheless, opposition will always be there. Some people will keep on obstructing good intentions for reasons we may never know. In spite of this, we urge Ms Gina and the ABS-CBN Foundation to stay on with us and trust God. With gratefulness to her magnanimous heart, we are one with her in saying “We can do it!”

—NARCISO B. LEONCIO, MD,

mayor, Brooke’s Point, Palawan