Business Mirror: Kitanglad: Investing in Nature pays off

Kitanglad: Investing in Nature pays off

Perspective

Written by Jonathan L. Mayuga / Correspondent

Saturday, 26 June 2010 18:49

As the Philippines joins the world in celebrating 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity,  biodiversity conservation effort is taking its peak in Mount Kitanglad, one of the few remaining rain forests in the Philippines and host to one of the mot important diverse species of rare and endemic wildlife.

Biodiversity conservation in Mount Kitanglad highlights the effort of various stakeholders, the experiences and lessons learned with people living in communities who share the bounty of its vast natural resources and play a crucial role in environmental protection.

Central to this effort is the pooling together of resources by national and local government units, nongovernment organizations, people’s organizations, indigenous peoples and various private institutions—in order to protect it from further destruction and degradation, and rehabilitate it and promote sustainable development.

Mount Kitanglad became the 28th Asean Heritage Park and the third Philippine mountain to earn such distinction in the Philippines during the 11th Asean Ministerial Meeting on Environment on October 29, 2009, in Singapore.  The first two are Mount Apo in Davao, the highest mountain in the country, and Mount Iglit-Baco in Oriental Mindoro, home of the Philippine tamaraw.

The Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), which recently coorganized a three-day media tour to Mount Kitanglad, underscored the importance of biodiversity conservation, particularly when the world is beginning to feel the adverse impacts of global warming and climate change.

The perils are real

IN Southeast Asia alone, 500 million lives are threatened by biodiversity loss, according to Filiberto Pollisco Jr., program development specialist of the ACB.

To be labeled an Asean Heritage Park is an honor, he said, but it carries a big responsibility.

“The park is accepted on behalf of Asean to be a showcase example for the protection of certain habitat and species features. It is the country and manager’s responsibility to ensure that the best possible level of protection is afforded to the site, but the site will also benefit from assistance in this role from the Asean Heritage Parks Programme,” he told participants of the three-day orientation trip to Kitanglad.

ACB facilitates the application of each of the 10 Asean countries under the Asean Heritage Parks Programme, which will endeavor to ensure that such heritage parks benefit from the best practices of management available.

The program includes features for capacity development, information-sharing network, technical exchange, facilitation for available international funding, promotion of tourism, participation in joint research, a biannual conference of managers and management improvement.

The Asean Heritage Parks Programme aims to generate greater awareness, appreciation, enjoyment and conservation of the region’s rich natural heritage by creating a regional network of representative protected areas.

The program promotes greater collaboration among Asean members in the preservation of their common natural heritage. The ACB serves as the secretariat of the Heritage Parks program.

The parks, said Pollisco, “are educational and inspirational sites of high conservation importance, preserving a complete spectrum of representative ecosystems of the Asean region. The parks embody the aspirations of the peoples of [member-states] to conserve their natural treasures that represent the bounty and diversity of living organisms of their nations.”

According to Pollisco, the abundance of these diverse biological resources also ensures the continuous flow of goods—such as food, shelter, fiber and medicine—and ecosystems services like water, for the benefit of the present and future generations.

Known as the habitat of the critically endangered national bird, the Philippine Eagle, Mount Kitanglad is considered the country’s last frontier in biodiversity.

According to the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), it is the perfect release site of the bird of prey, whether it is rescued and rehabilitated, or bred in captivity. Kitanglad’s forest makes it perfect for hunting, particularly for juvenile Philippine eagles.  In fact, because of its vast expanse, the PEF discovered a third pair of eagles, says Jayson Ibañez, its research and conservation director.

Despite its ecological, economic and cultural significance, Mount Kitanglad remains a biodiversity hot spot owing to past “environmental crimes” that caused its destruction many years ago. Poaching of wild animals and birds and the reckless use of its resources remain a problem, threatening the habitat and a wide variety of flora and fauna.

In fact, two of the captured and rehabilitated Philippine eagles that were released in Mount Kitanglad by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the PEF—a nongovernment organization advocating the protection of the critically endangered species and of their natural habitat—were killed within the supposed “protected area”.

“There are plenty of rats, snakes, monkeys for the Philippine Eagle to survive in Mount Kitanglad, that’s why we use the area as release site,” he said.

According to Ibañez, they are now in search of the nest of the third eagle, so as to protect it from poachers.

“It is important that the nest is found so that we can mark it and prevent people from going anywhere near the nest,” he said.

Because of the bird’s territorial nature, a pair of eagles requires a minimum area of 7,000 to 13,000 hectares of forests with abundant wild animals, birds or even snakes to prey on to survive.

The PEF has in its care 30 Philippine eagles, including three adult pairs used for breeding.  It also takes care of rescued Philippine eagles, mostly injured by hunters. Once rehabilitated, these birds are later released.

According to Ibañez, over the past few years, the PEF recorded relative successes. One of the eagles, Kalabugao, a young female eagle released inside Mount Kitanglad in October 2009, was found by monitoring teams with the help of a tracking device. She was found to be well-adjusted to a new habitat along the forested area near the Kulaman River.

Two years ago, Kalabugao was rescued by a bikers’ club from Cagayan de Oro City—starving, untidy and dehydrated. She had been caged and kept in a hut by her captors. An x-ray later showed she had a broken collar bone, indicating she was shot down.

She was brought to the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao, where she was treated from her trauma, and slowly rehabilitated. With the permission of the DENR and the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), Kalabugao was released.

However, Ibañez said they are still doing further studies to improve their release protocol in the wake of the deaths of two eagles earlier released in 2008 and 2009,  Kagsabua and Hineleban.  Kagsabua was the ill-fated Philippine Eagle that was shot and cooked by a farmer-hunter, while Hineleban was smashed in the head and turned into pulutan by four drunken ex-convicts.

“From our experience, it is not only important to educate the people, especially those in communities around Mount Kitanglad.  We need to make an example of those who hunt them for food even though they know it is prohibited under the law.  Such act can be considered premeditated murder, because the ones who killed Hineleban planned well how to catch and kill him.”

According to Ibañez, Hineleban was seen by four drunks when he perched on a tree in one of the trails leading to Kitanglad’s peak. “They waited ’til dark and they hit the eagle in the head, killing him.  They know it’s a crime to kill a Philippine Eagle but they did it, nevertheless, to have pulutan,” he lamented.

A fourth eagle was recaptured by the PEF because the eagle—Tinuy-an—is no longer wild.  “Because of his exposure to humans, he became domesticated.  He’ll no longer survive in the wild,” Ibañez said.

The majestic Mount Kitanglad is the second-highest mountain in Mindanao and the third highest in the country—after Mount Pulag in Northern Luzon.  Because of its importance in terms of biodiversity, it was declared a protected area in 2000 by virtue of Republic Act 8978, which gave its name the Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park.

The Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park covers 47,270 hectares, composed of 31,326 hectares of protected area and 16,034 hectares as buffer zone.

It straddles parts of the municipalities of Baungon, Talakag, Lantapan, Impasugong, Sumilao, Lobona, Manolo Fortich and Malaybalay City, all in the province of Bukidnon.

Mount Kitanglad is the major watershed that provides water for irrigation, power generation and domestic use for Bukidnon and nearby province of Misamis Oriental.

It is the headwater source of several river systems feeding north and central Mindanao.  The creeks and rivers flow in a radical pattern and feed the Cagayan, Tagoloan and Pulangui rivers.  Among its water tributaries are the Timago, Tugasan, Maagnao, Alanib, Kulasihan and Manupali.

The Manupali River provides irrigation to low-lying areas of Valencia City, while Pulangi is being used by the National Power Corp. to provide hyrdroelectric power.

The vast mountain range of Mount Kitanglad is home to the Talaandig, the Higaonon and the Bukidnon tribes.

It has been identified as one of the most important parks in the Philippines and considered as a priority site for protection by the DENR.

Biodiversity conservation effort in Mount Kitanglad is getting the much-needed boost from the provincial government of Bukidnon.

Since 2001, under the leadership of Gov. Jose Zubiri, who implemented a “no mining” policy in the province since assuming the gubernatorial post in 2001.

Zubiri, father of Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, said he also rejected mining companies’ offer to do business in the province, owing to its destructive nature.

“I don’t believe in mining. If you allow big mining companies in Bukidnon, trees will be cut down and the forest will be destroyed. There’s also no logging here [Bukidnon],” he said.

Zubiri said instead of mining and logging, the provincial government provided support to farmers, particularly upland dwellers, by teaching them how to make their piece of land productive without unnecessarily cutting down trees or destroying the environment.

The provincial government also provides financial support for the livelihood of upland dwellers and allowance of the Kitanglad Volunteer Guards who act as forest rangers in Mount Kitanglad.  Last year it allotted P1.2 million—P1 million for livelihood programs being initiated by the DENR, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) in Region X, and the Protected Area Management Board, a multisectoral body composed of representatives from local government units (LGUs) with territory within the protected area, tribal communities, nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and community organizations and other government agencies in the management of protected areas such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Tourism and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

According to Zubiri, even without the promised economic benefit of mining, the provincial government of Bukidnon increased tax collection from P33 million in 2001 to P300 million in 2009.

Protected Area superintendent Felix S. Mirasol Jr. said despite its limited resources, Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park is one of the most protected because of the active involvement of the communities.

In fact, one of the most successful reforestation projects, the Cinchona Reforestation Project in barangay Kaatuan in Lantapan, Bukidnon, is a living testament to the kind of protection that Mount Kitanglad receives.

The Cinchona Forest Reserve has a total land area of 1,994 hectares planted with cinchona, albizzia, Benguet pine, eucalyptus, Ceylon tea and rattan.  It is one of the two nesting sites currently being monitored by the DENR and the PEF.

Managing the operations of the Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park, he said, is easier said than done.

There are around 11,000 people living in a total of 28 barangays in six towns and a city covered by Mount Kitanglad, but there are only 344 volunteers who receive nothing but a monthly allowance. Kitanglad Volunteer Guards share among themselves P3,000 a month allotted for each of the 38 barangays within Mount Kitanglad.

“Had it not been for the support of LGUs, we will not be able to protect the park,” he said.

Mount Kitanglad receives only around P150,000 to P300,000 from the Office of the Secretary of the DENR every year.

According to Mirasol, a study conducted in 2000 revealed that to be able to protect the park and develop its ecotourism potentials, at least P8 million should be allotted every year.

With the help and support of LGUs and various partners, he said education, information and communication campaign, as well as seminars and training to highlight the importance of Mount Kitanglad, they were able to cover 10 of the 28 barangays.

Last year, through a congressional initiative, Mount Kitanglad was allotted P10 million, but the fund has not yet been released by the Department of Budget and Management. This year, it was again allotted P10 million.

The La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga), a nongovernment organization which acts as the secretariat of the environment cluster of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI), has been calling for the immediate release of the fund for protected areas and national parks, including Mount Kitanglad.

The amount, according to Mirasol, should cover various projects, including livelihood for indigenous peoples, and generate jobs for the people living within Mount Kitanglad. “Thanks to the support of the LGUs and the communities, we are able to do our job of protecting Mount Kitanglad,” he said.

According to Mirasol, there is a need to increase the number of “forest rangers” or Kitanglad Guard Volunteers to ensure the protection of the forest and its habitat from poachers.

Farmers’ training on contour farming should be continuously undertaken, so farmers will not resort to the highly destructive slash-and-burn, or kaingin.

Such program is the purpose of the establishment of the Mount Kitanglad Agri-Ecological Techno-Demo Center (MKAETDC), one of the projects of the Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park. The center is within the buffer zone of Mount Kitanglad in barangay Imbayao, in Malaybalay City.

The MKAETDC is a 22-hectare farm showcasing upland improved farming system owned by the family of Maputi, a farmer-scientist.  It is a joint project of the Imbayao Multipurpose Cooperative headed by Maputi himself.

The site is among the renowned demonstration farms in the country awarded as the “Most Oustanding Farm Family of the Philippines” during the 2006 Search for National Gawad Saka of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Members of IMPC, since the farm’s establishment, have changed their way of life—from plowing down the slopes to “organic farming” that adapts to their kind of environment so as not to destroy or cut down trees and other features of the forests.

MKAETDC’s management practice involves minimal use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, employing natural and organic-farming technology system, no burning of waste materials, composting, segregation of waste materials starting from the kitchen to farm surroundings, essential oil production and plantation and secondary forest-management preservation.

To generate additional income, MKAETDC offers services such as agritourism, training and farm-tour package, camping, rainforestation and nature trekking, horseback riding, tea-tree plantation tour and production and sale of souvenir items.

Ecotourism, which provides alternative sources of income, is being pushed by the DENR to boost environmental protection and biodiversity-conservation efforts in Mount Kitanglad.

Even private individuals, like businessman Elpidio Paras and his brother Ruben, find investing in the environment a good business.  Elpidio, a mechanical engineer, developed a 50-hectare property in barangay Dahilayan, Manolo Fortich, which he bought early in 2000 and turned into an adventure park now known as the Dahilayan Adeventure Park.

The Dahilayan Adventure Park is now attracting local and foreign tourists.  The park offers outdoor adventure, including Asia’s longest zip line, the 840 meter flying fox dual zip line.

According to Elpidio, the development of the property, just outside the buffer zones of Mount Kitanglad, started in 2001. “It was bare when I bought it.  For five years, we did nothing but plant trees and let them grow.  It was only recently when we developed it into an adventure park,” Elpidio, a private pilot, said. Today, Elpidio has reforested 2 hectares of the 50-hectare property with about 20,000 pine tress and spent around P10 million for the adventure park’s amenities, which include horseback riding, a track for all-terrain vehicle and horseback riding.  A three-story hotel is now being constructed to accommodate tourists for an overnight stay or two.

Elpidio plans to plant more trees, but this time, a diverse variety of trees and possibly, spend P20 million more for more outdoor-adventure amenities in the next 10 years to accommodate the increasing number of visitors all the way from Manila and different parts of the country. “I find investing in the environment very rewarding, not only financially.  It makes me feel good to help promote nature and the environment,” he said.

His brother, a real-estate developer, on the other hand, has put up a picnic ground and a restaurant at an adjacent property, for the dining pleasure of Dahilayan Adventure Park’s visitors.

Also at:

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Balita.ph: DBM urged to release P110M budget for country’s protected areas, national parks

DBM urged to release P110M budget for country’s protected areas, national parks

January 19, 2010 10:38 am

BACOLOD CITY, Jan. 18 – The La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) called on the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for increased budget allocation and the timely release of the P110-million fund intended for the country’s various protected areas and national parks.

The La Liga earlier expressed alarm over the future of the country’s protected areas and national parks, citing the delay in the release of budget specifically allocated for their development and rehabilitation.

Its environmental campaigner Jonathan Ronquillo said the DBM has yet to release the 2009 budget for the development and rehabilitation of some of the country’s protected areas and national parks to include the Northern Negros National Park, Mt. Apo National Park, Tubbataha Reef, Apo Reef, Mounts Banahaw and San Cristobal, Mt. Kitanglad, and Central Cebu National Park.

“Except for Mt. Apo National Park, these Protected Areas and National Parks do not receive funding from the regular budget of the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) and rely only on Congressional insertion which happen during budget deliberations,” Ronquillo said in a press statement.

He noted that for 2009, Mt. Apo National Park was supposed to get P15 million; Apo Reef and Tubbataha Reef, P20 million each; Mounts Banahaw and San Cristobal, Northern Negros National Park and Central Cebu National Park, P15 million each; and Mt. Kitanglad, P10 million.

“The budget for these key biodiversity areas were supposed to be released and downloaded to the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) of the DENR as early as the 1st quarter of 2009” Ronquillo lamented.

He added that “the budget for the development and rehabilitation of these parks are supposed to be used to develop them into possible ecotourism destinations, thus generating employment and livelihood opportunities for people in the communities.” (PNA) LAP/ajp/GMDelaCruz/vlo

Also at:

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Business Mirror: Fund delay puts sea-turtle, tamaraw projects at risk

Fund delay puts sea-turtle, tamaraw projects at risk

Written by Jonathan L. Mayuga

SUNDAY, 17 JANUARY 2010 20:46

TWO successful wildlife-conservation projects of the government are threatened by the delay in the release of their 2009 budget worth a total of P40 million.

La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga), a policy research nongovernment organization which acts as the secretariat of the Environment Cluster of the internationally recognized Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI), blamed Malacañang and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for allegedly “impounding” the budget for the Pawikan Conservation Project (PCP) and the Tamaraw Conservation Project (TCP).

The budgets for the two wildlife-conservation projects, each with a P20-million annual allocation, have yet to be released by the DBM, said Jonathan Ronquillo, environment campaigner of La Liga.

La Liga is calling for increased budget allocation for the development and rehabilitation of the country’s protected areas and national parks, and the conservation of threatened species such as the Philippine tarsier, the world’s smallest monkey that roams in the forests of Bohol. Now, the group expressed concern over the adverse effects to the two wildlife-conservation programs, with the release of the budgets being delayed until now.

The delay in the release of the budget for the two important wildlife-conservation projects was confirmed by officials from the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“It’s true. We don’t know what is causing the delay, but we have submitted all the requirements to the DBM.  We are still waiting for their response,” sources told the BusinessMirror.

The officials said the budget was supposed to be used to strengthen the monitoring system, as well as law enforcement, in areas covered by the project. Poaching and the destruction of the habitats of the two endangered species have been identified by scientists as the reason for the decline in their population.

The PCP and the TCP only received P2.115 million and P3.86 million, respectively, from the regular budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for 2009. The amount is barely enough for the operation of the two important projects, sources said.

Ronquillo expressed dismay over the delay in the release of the budget, saying the P20-million budget allocated for each of the two projects were meant to boost government efforts to prevent the extinction of the two endangered species: marine turtles and the tamaraw, native to the Philippines and found only in Mindoro.

“These wildlife-conservation projects were launched to make sure that these biologically important species will not become extinct. Their existence makes the country unique from the rest of the world, and for that, they should be considered national treasures. But it seems the government’s failure to release the budget on time, whether intentional or not, shows their lack of concern,” he said in a press statement.

Aside from marine turtles, the pawikan project also aims to conserve the endangered sea cows, more commonly known as dugong.

Ronquillo said the PCP was one of the most successful conservation projects initiated by the government.

“Because of the project, marine-turtle sanctuaries and hatcheries were established in various parts of Mindanao, and regulation of marine-turtle egg collection, including trade ban, was implemented,” he said.

According to the PAWB web site, a total of nine marine-turtle sanctuaries were established—two in Tawi-Tawi; five in Palawan; two in Caluya; and six hatcheries within the Turtle Islands in Tawi-Tawi so far—because of the project.

The TCP, which was meant to prevent the extinction of the tamaraw, scientifically known as Bubalus mindorensis, successfully preserved the rare land mammal.

The tamaraw’s population shrank from 1916 till the 1950s.  In 1965 the plight of the tamaraw and the Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyii) was given attention in the Bangkok Conference of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, now known as The World Conservation Union, which prompted the Philippine government to create the Presidential Committee for the Conservation of the Tamaraw (PCCT) in 1979.

The PCCT started implementing measures to conserve the species and its habitats. This marked the start of the TCP, starting with the massive information-education campaign in communities where these animals used to thrive and roam freely.  Jonathan L. Mayuga

Also at:

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DBM urged to expedite release of P110M budget for Protected Areas, National Parks for 2009

BUDGET activists expressed alarm over the future of the country’s Protected Areas and National Parks because of the delay in the release of budget specifically allocated for their development and rehabilitation, according to the nongovernment organization La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga).

La Liga Environment Campaigner Jonathan Ronquillo said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has yet to release the 2009 budget for the development and rehabilitation of some of the country’s Protected Areas and National Parks, which include the Mt. Apo National Park, Tubbataha Reef, Apo Reef, Mts. Banahaw and San Cristobal, Mt. Kitanglad, Northern Negros National Park and Central Cebu National Park, which in sum amounts to P110 million.

Worse, except for Mt. Apo National Park, these Protected Areas and National Parks do not receive funding from the regular budget of the DENR and rely only on “Congressional insertion” which happen during budget deliberations.

The development and rehabilitation of Mt. Apo is getting P992,000 from the DENR’s regular budget for 2009 but even this measly amount was impounded by the DBM, Ronquillo said.

For 2009, Mt. Apo National Park was supposed to get P15 Million.  Apo Reef and Tubbataha Reef, P20 Million each; Mts Banahaw and San Cristobal, Northern Negros National Park and Central Cebu National Park, P15 Million each; Mt. Kitanglad, P10 Million.  These budgets were given allocation by Congress during budget deliberations on December 2008.  For 2010, all these Protected Areas and National Parks will not get any funding support under the DBM’s proposed National Expenditures Program.

“The budget for these key biodiversity areas were supposed to be released and downloaded to the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) of the DENR as early as the 1^st quarter of 2009.  But obviously, the release has been delayed until now,” Ronquillo lamented.

“We don’t know what is taking the DBM so long to release the budget.  But definitely, it is seriously compromising the DENR’s operation to provide these Protected Areas and National Parks the adequate protection they need,” Ronquillo said.

According to Ronquillo, the budget for the development and rehabilitation of these Protected Areas and National Parks are supposed to be used to develop them into possible eco-tourism destinations, thus generating employment and livelihood opportunities for people in the communities.

The budgets were also supposed to be used for the salaries and allowances of field personnel who will act as forest rangers and bantay dagat, to prevent illegal logging, illegal fishing activities, poaching and wildlife trade, which is crucial in preventing the possible spread of the bird flu virus.

The delay in the release of the budget for these Protected Areas and National Parks, La Liga believes, also threatens the extinction of threatened wildlife, their natural habitat, including a diverse flora and fauna which makes the country unique from the rest of the world.

Last week, La Liga, which acts as the secretariat of the Environment Cluster of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) chided Malacanang and the DBM for impounding the DENR’s budget for the Comprehensive Livelihood Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for 2009 amounting to P1 Billion.

It also exposed the delay in the release of the budget for Pawikan Conservation Project and the Tamaraw Conservation Project, which are supposed to receive P20 Million each in 2009.

The Pawikan Conservation Project and the Tamaraw Conservation Project only receive P2,115,000 and P3,862,000, respectively, from the regular budget of the DENR but such amount, Ronquillo said, were barely enough for the salaries and allowances of field personnel of the DENR, but not for various activities that will boost conservation efforts for the two biologically-important wildlife.

“These wildlife conservation projects were launched to make sure that these biologically-important species will not become extinct.  Their existence make the country unique from the rest of the world and for that, they should be considered national treasures. But it seems the government’s failure to release the budget on time, whether intentional or not, shows their lack of concern,” he said.

Aside from marine turtles, the pawikan project also aims to conserve the endangered sea cows, or more commonly known as dugongs.

La Liga is calling for increased budget allocation, and the timely release of the budget for the development and rehabilitation of the country’s Protected Areas and National Parks, as well as the conservation of threatened species, to help combat climate change.

P40-M 2009 budget to save pawikan, tamaraw impounded by Malacanang – group

Wildlife conservation projects in peril

TWO important wildlife conservation projects of the government are in peril because the budget allocated by Congress for 2009 were impounded by Malacanang, budget activists warned.

Jonathan Ronquillo, Environment Campaigner of La Liga Policy Institute (La Liga) said budget for the Pawikan Conservation Project and the Tamaraw Conservation Project, which are supposed to receive P20 Million each, have not yet been released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as of the end of 2009.

The Pawikan Conservation Project and the Tamaraw Conservation Project only receive P2,115,000 and P3,862,000, respectively, from the regular budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for 2009.

Ronquillo said the P20 Million budget allocation each for the two wildlife conservation projects were initiated by opposition lawmaker Jamby Madrigal to boost government efforts to prevent their extinction from the wild.

“These wildlife conservation projects were launched to make sure that these biologically-important species will not become extinct.  Their existence make the country unique from the rest of the world and for that, they should be considered national treasures.  But it seems the government’s failure to release the budget on time, whether intentional or not, shows their lack of concern,” he said.

Aside from marine turtles, the pawikan project also aims to conserve the endangered sea cows, or more commonly known as dugongs.

The Pawikan Conservation Project was one of the most successful conservation projects initiated by the government.  Because of the project, marine turtle sanctuaries and hatcheries were established in various parts of Mindanao, and regulation of marine turtle egg collection, including trade ban, were implemented.

A total of nine marine turtle sanctuaries were established – two in Tawi-Tawi; five in Palawan; two in Caluya, and a total of six marine turtle hatcheries within the Turtle Islands in Tawi-Tawi so far.

On the other hand, the Tamaraw Conservation Project was meant to prevent the extinction of the Tamaraw, scientifically known as Bubalus mindorensis.

An endemic land mammal found only on the Island of Mindoro, the Tamaraw’s population shrunk from the 1916 until the 1950s.  In 1965, the plight of the Tamaraw and the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyii) was given attention in the Bangkok Conference of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources now known as The World Conservation Union. In response, the Philippine Government created the Presidential Committee for the Conservation of the Tamaraw (PCCT) in 1979 to implement measures to conserve the species and its habitats. This marked the start of the Tamaraw Conservation Program (TCP).

A 280-hectare Gene Pool Farm in Manoot, Rizal was established in the 1980. This was followed by the capture of Tamaraws in Aruyan, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro from 1982-1993 for breeding purposes. A total of twenty (20) Tamaraws were captured during the said period. Habitat protection became an integral part of the Project since 1983.

Some of the accomplishments of the program are the subsequent increase in Tamaraw population from 154 in 2000 to 187 in 2001, and the protection of Tamaraw habitats of more than 7,500 hectares.  The government maintains Tamaraw breeding farm.

All these gains, according to Ronquillo, will go to waste if the government discontinues funding support, taking note that funding for such as provided for by the DENR from its regular budget are barely enough to pay field personnel’s salary and allowances, but not enough for the operation of the wild’s habitat that continue to be threatened by poachers.

“If the government is serious in saving these species from being extinct, the least it can do for now is release the 2009 budget.  After all, the budget for these wildlife conservation projects were approved by no less than Malacanang, so there’s no reason not to release them now,” Ronquillo said.

La Liga, which acts as the secretariat of the Environment Cluster of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) is calling for increased budget allocation for the development and rehabilitation of the country’s protected areas and national parks, and the conservation of threatened species.