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The Chairperson
On October 27, 1998, Sen. Loren Legarda set out to build Forest Parks over the Philippines via the launch of Luntiang Pilipinas.
Inspired by Senate Bill 644, entitled "The Greening Act of 1998", Luntiang Pilipinas is a massive tree-growing program which seeks to establish Forest Parks in all national and local government centers, roadsides, churchyards, school campuses and other public areas.
Even as a broadcast journalist, Legarda has been hailed as an "ecological warrior" because of her staunch advocacy of environmental issues, particularly those pertaining to forest and marine resources.
Through her newsmagazines "Pep Talk" and "The Inside Story", she championed the cause for a more healthful ecology by heightening public awareness of environmental problems. Her quarterly program "Earthlink" became the first documentary series on the environment on Philippine television and was awarded both the KBP Golden Dove Award and the EarthSavers Media Award on its maiden season.
As a lawmaker, Legarda, in her first 100 days in the Senate, had 64 bills and resolutions 14 of which address environment issues. The neophyte senator was also selected to chair the bicameral committee on environment and natural resources of the Commission on Appointments.
Because of Legarda's personal commitment to saving our natural resources, she was invited by the ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. to serve as honorary chair of Bantay Kalikasan, a media watchdog group dedicated to exposing polluters and improving compliance with environmental protection laws. She has since worked with BK in ocular inspection tours meant to stop destructive quarrying operations in Rizal province and to ensure the clean-up of the massive oil spill in Manila Bay caused by the sinking of the M/V Princess of the Orient.
Besides being founding chair of Luntiang Pilipinas, Legarda is also President of two non-government organizations: The Trees for Life and Save Our Seas foundations.
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