Women in the Philippines are leading sustainability efforts by leveraging their unique perspectives, skills, and leadership qualities to promote environmental stewardship and drive transformative action toward a more sustainable future.

In the Philippines, women have emerged as powerful agents of change in the battle against climate change. Their indispensable role in mitigating the impact of environmental challenges has become increasingly evident.

Filipino women have been instrumental in advocating for sustainable practices, fostering environmental awareness, and driving innovative solutions. As the Philippines faces the escalating consequences of climate change, recognizing and empowering women’s contributions is an essential step toward building a more sustainable nation.

Anna Oposa: Environmental Advocate and Co-founder of Save Philippine Seas (SPS)

Anna Oposa is a marine conservationist and environmental advocate from the Philippines. She is the co-founder and Executive Director of Save Philippine Seas (SPS), an NGO that works to protect the marine environment of the Philippines.

Oposa’s notable achievements in environmental advocacy include helping create the first shark sanctuary in the Philippines and helping designate the thresher shark as a nationally protected species. She also led a number of projects to protect marine biodiversity, including the Shark Shelter Project and the Waste Watchers Toolkit, and advocated for the Philippines to join the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI).

Currently, Oposa is working on The Shark Shelter Project that protects thresher sharks in Daanbantayan, Cebu, The Waste Watcher Toolkit helps businesses reduce their plastic waste, and The Sea and Earth Advocates Camp, which provides environmental education and leadership training to young people.

Nieves Confesor: Founding Chairperson of the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE)

Nieves Confesor served as the founding chairperson of FPE, a non-governmental organization focused on biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and environmental protection. FPE has supported numerous projects and initiatives aimed at preserving the country’s natural resources.

She also served as a trustee and representative for the Philippines in the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), an international organization focused on finding practical solutions to environmental challenges. 

Confesor is a tireless advocate for environmental protection. She is committed to working with others to create a more sustainable future for the Philippines. Currently, she is supporting programs that empower local communities to actively participate in the conservation and sustainable use of forest resources.

Katherine “Trin” Custodio: Executive Director of WWF-Philippines

Katherine “Trin” Custodio is a young environmental advocate from the Philippines. Currently, she is the executive director of WWF-Philippines. She took the position in late 2020 after having spent a decade with the WWF Network.

She previously served as the director of the WWF Asia Pacific Growth Strategy (APGS), a growth and investments program that seeks to expand the reach of the WWF Network within the region. While working with APGS, Custodio was able to secure new partnerships for the network. At the same time, she was able to increase the supporter base for the conservation organization. 

Meanwhile, during her time as director of the organization, she was able to double more than the amount of funds being channeled into the various conservation programs being rolled out by WWF offices across the Asia Pacific region.

Custodio aims to engage millions of Filipinos and to help set the natural environment of the Philippines on track toward recovery. 

Important Role of Women in Driving Sustainability

Women play a vital role in driving sustainability across various domains by bringing their unique perspectives, skills, and experiences to the forefront. Women’s perspectives are unique because it usually emphasizes the importance of gender equality and community well-being in sustainability.

Research shows that women are often more inclined to consider the needs of others and the welfare of their communities. They tend to focus on care and compassion.

Women’s active involvement in sustainable practices, such as renewable energy initiatives, waste reduction, and conservation efforts, helps promote environmental stewardship at the grassroots level. 

Moreover, women’s leadership and advocacy in policy-making, community organizing, and sustainable practices contribute to the development of inclusive and holistic approaches that prioritize social equity, economic prosperity, and environmental resilience. 

BillionBricks recognizes the important role of women in driving sustainability. With this, we aim to support through our projects like our net-zero homes.

If you want to learn more about BillionBricks and our net zero homes, visit https://calendly.com/d/y5t-wh7-hdd/call-with-billionbricks

Sources

1. WWF. (n.d.). Katherine ‘Trin’ Custodio. Retrieved from https://wwf.org.ph/who-we-are/meet-the-pandas/president-and-ceo-profile/

2. The World Bank. (2022). Meet the Innovator Protecting Our Oceans in the Philippines: Anna Oposa. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/06/02/meet-the-innovator-protecting-our-oceans-in-the-philippines-anna-oposa

3. UN.org. (2005). Professor Nieves Confesor. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/sib/egm/bio/Nieves%20Confesor.pdf

4. Harvard Business Review. (2019). Research: When Juggling Work and Family, Women Offer More Emotional Support Than Men. Retrieve from https://hbr.org/2019/03/research-when-juggling-work-and-family-women-offer-more-emotional-support-than-men