Gab Ibis

The country continues to face an escalating environmental crises, yet one woman is leading a revolution to protect its natural treasures.

Environmental advocate and Celine Murillo uses the power of social media to educate and raise public awareness about the Philippines' rich biodiversity.

Photo Courtesy of Inquirer Lifestyle.

Her mission is fueled by the waning forest cover and dying biodiversity in the country. With an average forest cover loss of 47,000 hectares per year and 700 species at risk of extinction in the country, it is an uphill battle. 

Despite facing numerous challenges, Murillo continues her mission with unwavering dedication. She braves high mountains, cold waters, and long hours of adventure to produce content that educates and inspires.

Murillo’s shift from an economics instructor to a leading “green-fluencer” started with her personal blog in 2014, where she encouraged eco-responsible travel. This had been Celine’s way of coping with her mother’s loss; being immersed in nature.

“That’s what helped the healing, being exposed to so much beauty in the natural world. That’s where the desire kicked in to preserve it, to protect it,” Murillo said.

Her academic background had been important in understanding the systemic roots of the triple ecological crises–climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss–primarily driven by capitalism.

"It allows me to approach my work in a grounded and more compassionate manner; understanding that individual shortcomings are upshots of larger systemic failings and that to achieve collective liberation, we need to acknowledge and emphasize the intersectionalities of our causes," Murillo said.

However, her connection with nature, nurtured since childhood, eventually redirected her path–into a woman in STEM.

After pandemic restrictions eased, she and her husband Dennis travelled around the country in a second-hand Mitsubishi Delica campervan, named Eli, producing content that highlighted the Philippines' natural beauty and heritage.

“We started traveling and we slowly learned what it is we want to do, what our purpose in life is,” Murillo said in an interview with Rappler.

Before gaining fame on TikTok, the couple posted videos on their Youtube channel, which now has over 24,000 subscribers. The channel features travel vlogs while also posting informative videos on the country’s endemic, or local, species. 

One of her notable Tiktok series, "Saribuhay sa Salapi," features the plants and animals illustrated on Philippine coins and banknotes. 

Through this series, she educates viewers about the country’s endemic species, adding public pride and responsibility in conservation efforts.

In 2019, supported by the Biodiversity Finance Initiative of the United Nations Development Program, Murillo produced a film about the critically endangered tamaraw for the Tamaraw Conservation Program, opening conservation efforts on the local species.

Three years later, she was named a Young ASEAN Storyteller by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, allowing her to create multimedia stories about the intersections of the climate crisis, indigenous agroecology, biodiversity, and food heritage.

Despite facing numerous challenges, the Murillos continue their mission with unwavering dedication. They brave high mountains, cold waters, and long hours of adventure to produce content that educates and inspires. 

"When we love something, we do everything in service of its welfare," Murillo said. 

Against an escalating crisis, Celine Murillo’s dedication to protecting the environment and promoting biodiversity serves as a guiding light, using advocacy in inspiring a collective action in safeguarding the planet for the future generations.