PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has picked Ma. Antonia “Toni” Yulo-Loyzaga as secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), according to the presidential palace.
“Her nomination will still be subject to the fulfilment of the required documents,” Press Secretary Rose Beatrix “Trixie” Cruz-Angeles said in a statement.
Ms. Yulo-Loyzaga is the president of the National Resilience Council, which promotes science and technology-based public-private partnerships to strengthen the Philippine’s disaster risk management, preparedness, and response.
She served as chairperson at the International Advisory Board of the Manila Observatory, which promotes science-based approach to development problems and advocates for climate justice.
At the Jesuit scientific research institution, Ms. Yulo-Loyzaga “advocated for more scientific research on climate and disaster resilience,” Ms. Cruz-Angeles said.
Ms. Yulo-Loyzaga also became a technical adviser of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation.
She is also a member of the senior advisory board of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Command and General Staff College.
As DENR chief, Ms. Yulo-Loyzaga is expected to work with various agencies as well as the international community to address the climate crisis, which heavily affects developing countries such as the Philippines.
Mr. Marcos has said that climate change is among his top concerns.
Anti-mining advocacy group Alyansa Tigil Mina said they are “cautiously optimistic” about the choice for Environment chief. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza