www.ferro-alloys.com: The criticism over her decisions, orders, and what she believes in have been overwhelming in the past months. But Environment Secretary Gina Lopez still thinks that the Philippines can earn more from investments in biodiversity than in mining.

Lopez, in a roundtable discussion with Manila Bulletin on Monday, said she prefers billions of pesos worth of investments to go to biodiversity and area development rather than to the mining sector.

For this year, she allotted a bulk of DENR’s P29-billion budget to massive reforestation and climate change initiatives instead.

According to her, as she continues leadership within the agency, more funds will go to the development of biodiversity, ecotourism, and more green projects.

“Each decision that I make literally benefits thousands of lives. Every year, the budget that we get is P26 billion (on average). If I can maneuver and design an organization which is honest, committed, and compassionate, we can do so much. Politics is not easy but it’s the promise of making a massive difference,” Lopez said.

• [Editor:Licaixia]