A Filipina environmentalist earned praise from former United States First Lady Michelle Obama for her conservation efforts.
In celebration of Earth Day, Obama hailed licensed Filipina fisheries technologist Carmela Bagum for "working to protect our planet."
"Carmela grew up in a fishing village, where her passion for marine life pushed her to become a licensed fisheries technologist--despite the floods and typhoons that often closed her school," Obama wrote on Instagram.
"She is one of the millions of girls whose education has been disrupted by the climate crisis, but she is also part of the rising generation of leaders who are already taking charge as we confront it," she added.
Bagum graduated cum laude in Carlos Hilado Memorial State College in Bacolod City in 2019.
The 21-year old is also a part of the ProCoast project in Sipalay City and the municipalities of Cauayan and Hinoba-an, according to the Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation.