The Philippine Online Chronicles

Environmentalist, writer and ecological artist Odette Alcantara passed away at the age of 68 on Monday, after suffering an aneurysm.

Alcantara is most notable for her strong environmental advocacies. She was convenor of Artists for the Environment, founder of Earth Philippines, and Philippine coordinator for the Earth Day Network.

In the months before her death, she had written pieces about the importance of bio-ethics, and a denunciation of Manila Ordinance no. 7177, which deemed certain areas of Manila industrial zones. Alcantara was also known for promoting composting and recycling at a community level, and transforming Blue Ridge, where she lived, into a model for zero-waste management.

On the blog Momma & Sons, Alcantara is called an 'unsung hero'. She is survived by her four sons and husband Mario.

A tree-planting event will be held in her honor on October 3. According to Earth Day Network's Binggirl Clemente, “Tita Odette would tell us that when she goes, 'I don't want flowers, I just want trees'.”