Anna Oposa has been described as one of the most influential women in the history of conservation work in the country and internationally. Born in Dagupan, Philippines, Anna Oposa grew up in a rural area where poverty was the norm, with few educational options available for her. She was repeatedly tortured by both the government and opposition forces during the time of her father’s reign. As such, Anna learned early on the importance of fighting for a just society, an end to discrimination against women, and an end to the conflicts in her family.
Anna Oposa was married and had two daughters before she left for college in the United States, eventually becoming a practicing lawyer in the fields of international law and maritime litigation. It was while in this profession, that she began to take an interest in marine conservation, specifically the need to protect the Philippines’ unique biodiversity. In the process of garnering support for a campaign to promote such an endeavor, Anna Oposa became interested in how different types of cultures and nationalities experienced and dealt with eco-tourism. From this research came the notion that certain types of vacation destinations were inherently harmful to marine life, which led her to launch Save the Philippines (stownep) Islands in 2021.
Following its inception, Save the Philippines began to receive international attention and quickly gained support from various foundations, including the Pew Charitable Trust, Ford Foundation, and The Zoological Society of South Carolina. In the years since its founding, Anna Oposa has continued to fight for the rights of the Filipino people to have their say in how their natural habitat is protected. Additionally, she has been tireless in pursuing the cause of endangered marine life through various legal means, such as submitting a plea of nullification to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding attempts to block the implementation of the Deep Water Act. As co-founder and executive director of Oposa’s Sea Turtle Protection Project, Anna continues to advocate for both biological conservation of Filipino Sea Turtles and the protection of the biodiversity of the Philippines as a whole. Through Sea Turtles National Parks and Invasive Species Act, she works closely with local officials and other concerned parties in order to ensure the sustainable management and development of various ecosystems found in the Philippines.