A Green Awakening: The Human Story of the Filipino Environmental Movement

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

In the archipelago’s political wilderness, a small flame ignited on November 30, 1996, when a diverse coalition of activists, academics, and visionaries formed the Philippine Greens. It wasn’t polished politicians but passionate guardians of the Earth who convened—not with grand ambition but with fierce conviction. Their manifesto was not just paper—it was the heartbeat of resistance, and three years later, in 1999, they launched Society, Ecology and Transformation, a blueprint for ecological redemption in a nation battered by industrial threats.

From protests against the intrusion of biotech giants to conducting a grueling 30-day hunger strike opposing Bt corn, they spoke up through action—raw, relentless, and resolute.

Green Politics Takes Shape

As the 2000s dawned, the call for structured political engagement grew. In 2004, the Philippine Green Republican Party emerged, but its green credentials remained questionable in the eyes of purists. The tide turned in 2010 with the Kalikasan Partylist, a more genuine green political force. Meanwhile, the re-emergent Green Party of the Philippines (GPP-KALIKASAN MUNA) whispered its rallying cry: “Kalikasan Muna, Ngayon Na!”

Under its banner, a formidable leadership rose. David D’Angelo, a climate advocate since the mid-1990s and a key architect of green policy, has led GPP (and BKM) since 2019—fusing political savvy with grassroots heart 

By 2023–2024, GPP earned recognition as an associate member of the Asia-Pacific Greens Federation and Global Greens—securing international solidarity to deepen their roots across the Philippines 

Hearts of Bayanihan Para sa Kalikasan Movement (BKM)

In parallel, the Bayanihan Para sa Kalikasan Movement Inc. gave the movement a soul. It’s anchored in the Filipino value of bayanihan—community action for a common purpose. Though its founding date remains hidden in oral history, by March 2025, its leadership and clarity of vision were firmly in place 

Chairperson: David D’Angelo

President: Eric Raymundo—an engineer and BKM’s heartbeat, champion of circular economy initiatives like eco-bricks and plastic repurposing, showcased in a bold presentation during the Green Party’s National Environmental Leader’s Summit 

Vice Chairperson: Nic Satur Jr.

Vice President: Jeph S. Ramos—who later became President of GPP, bringing grassroots empowerment into party’s roadmap 

Treasurer: Joseph Ezekiel Pasturan Gayatin (also GPP treasurer)

Secretary: Mariella Amagan

Auditor: Josephine Cabatuando

Board Members include Ross Flores Del Rosario—wielding media prowess to amplify the message—and Reach Peñaflor, Johnny M. Estuya, Randy Andales Mangubat, Rachel Baldonado, and Paul Monteccino, each contributing leadership in media, data, community, and education 

Faces in the Green Movement

At GPP’s helm, here’s how leadership was organized as of early 2025:

Chairperson: David D’Angelo

President: Jeph Ramos—driving grassroots momentum

Vice President for International Affairs: Gilbert Gamas—connecting GPP to global green networks

Vice President for Internal Affairs: Emelita L. Cordero—structuring the party’s internal framework

Vice President for External Affairs: Ross Flores Del Rosario—melding media strategy with environmental messaging 

Party Secretary: Geraldine Kocherry

Deputy Secretary: Rachel Baldonado—an educational veteran with a Master’s in Environmental Education 

Treasurer: Joseph Gayatin (also GKM treasurer)

Deputy Treasurer: Niel Cauyao

Auditor: Engr. Reach Peñaflor—ensuring fiscal transparency

Deputy Auditor: Jericho Encarnacion—steadfast in ecological financial oversight 

Timeline Embedded in Story

From the genesis of the Philippine Greens in 1996, through the roadmap of Society, Ecology and Transformation in 1999, to the controversial wave of 2004 (PGRP), the more promising emergence of the Kalikasan Partylist in 2010, and the steady rise of GPP under David D’Angelo from 2019, we see the transformation from activism to political presence. By 2023–2024, international recognition via Asia-Pacific and Global Greens solidified the party’s legitimacy. In March 2025, GPP and BKM elected a leadership determined to push for climate emergency proclamations, circular economy actions, greener governance, and upcoming electoral contests. By August 15, 2025, BKM and Saint Louis College energized coastal clean-ups—real-world proof of the bayanihan spirit in motion.

The Soul of the Movement

This is a narrative shaped not just by policies, but by individuals—David D’Angelo’s steady conviction, Eric Raymundo’s engineer’s innovation, Jeph Ramos’s grassroots passion, Ross Del Rosario’s media shaping, Reach Peñaflor’s financial integrity, and Rachel Baldonado’s lifelong commitment to teaching green values. Their names are not footnotes—they are the frontlines.

Under their stewardship, strategies—from eco-bricks to media campaigns, from grassroots assemblies to candidate slates—are no longer abstract. They pulse with urgency, strategy, and hope.

In a world teetering on climate collapse, the Philippines' green revival stands out—not as a token, but as a testament: that in community, leadership, and unity, the seeds of true environmental justice are planted.

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