Ophelia Mananquil Bakker: Woman of the Earth
FEED projects are centered on critical sites in the Philippines where they plant trees to replace kaingin-burned forests and mangroves by the shoreline.
We are talking of a formidable woman leader who, at the tender age of seven, had to escape to the mountains with her family because her father was suspected to be a guerilla warrior.
This escape to the mountains was providential for this bright young girl because it awakened her appreciation for the environment as it was the trees and the thick shrubs and foliage in the darkness of the night that protected and shielded them from the enemies in pursuit.
This was a scary period for Ophie, but she immediately adjusted to normal life when they returned to their home in Pampanga. She studied in a public school where she easily mingled with her classmates. She was easily the leader in her school and would graduate with top honors, to the delight of her mother.
Ophie is a woman of many gifts as she capitalized on her wit and practical abilities, as she would take on challenges, explore new horizons and make the most of what was available to ensure that she would get what she wants.
In college, she took up Business Administration, major in Journalism. Even then, she was a budding environmental activist, but it had to take a backseat as she needed to work to help the family.
Her first job was as an office staff in the US Embassy. This is where she met Jacob Bakker, an international tobacco businessman who, when they met, was completely smitten with the beautiful smart Filipina. But Jacob was smarter than Ophie because he ensured that he met Ophie’s mother who he treated with utmost respect and care that she remarked to Ophie, “Jack is a good man. I give my permission for you to marry him.”
After they married, Jack brought Ophie back with him to the Netherlands where they set up a comfortable and happy home.
They had three children in succession and Ophie had to balance raising a family and looking after Jack as they got transferred to Indonesia for his tobacco business that was growing from strength to strength.
In the year 1980, they decided to move back to the Philippines, bought a house in Dasmarinas Village in modern Ayala just fronting the Makati Central Business District. By then the children were enrolled in the International School where Ophie was active in the parentteacher association.
Today, her children are pursuing very successful careers of their own, Jack has retired from the tobacco business, and Ophie is fully involved with FEED — Fostering Education and Environment for Development Inc. — as founder and chairperson. Her daughter Anne-Marie is director for Partnerships.
They have sold their Dasmarinas home and moved to the iconic Pacific Plaza Condominium, located right in Ayala Avenue in the Makati Central Business District in the top floor where you can see the lighted buildings at night. FEED projects are centered on critical sites in the Philippines where they plant trees to replace kaingin-burned forests and mangroves by the shoreline. They can monitor the state of the plants and the trees through GPS and they are so pleased that 85 percent of the plants survive. For Ophie, this survival rate is crucial because, she says, “We need the trees to grow.” The many projects of
FEED have earned Ophie the admiration and respect of both government and private corporations who are happy to partner with her and Anne-Marie. Among them are PLDT, Aspen Inc. and many local government agencies in Bulacan, Pampanga and Ilocos.
Ophie has gone a long way from the little girl who escaped to the mountains to survive. This time, like the miracle of life she has created a circle of life where FEED plays a big role in protecting the environment.
“You don’t need to be a forester to save trees. Neither do you need to be a bio scientist to save Mother Earth. We just need to be possessed of a fierce desire to plant and save the trees, to clean our rivers and seas of debris to save the creatures of the seas and for us all to love nature because we need Mother Nature to protect us.”
She adds, “Plant a tree, feed our future.”
Ophelia Bakker Mananquil has earned her legacy as an environmental woman of the earth and we applaud her as an Asian Leader who walks her talk. Bravo, Ophie, we are so proud of you.