TACLOBAN CITY – Amid increasing threats to the Philippine Eagle’s survival, including deforestation, habitat fragmentation and hunting, private sectoral representatives (PSRs) of the Regional Development Council call for the reconstituted the Regional Eagle Watch Team (REWT) to enhance monitoring, protection, and awareness campaigns across key eagle habitats in Leyte and Samar.
Composed of representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), local government units, indigenous communities, environmental NGOs, and academic institutions, the REWT serves as a multi-sectoral body tasked with coordinating efforts to safeguard the country’s national bird.
This call was supported by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 8 saying that in reviving and strengthening of the REWT, it can help in nest site monitoring, respond more rapidly to wildlife threats, and boost community-based conservation efforts.
“This majestic bird represents the fragility and strength of the country’s ecosystem. It’s survival depends on the protection of our forests. We are making every approach possible and feasible for the love of our ecosystem at large,” DENR-8 Regional Executive Director Arturo Salazar said.
In reconstituting the REWT, RDC-8 PSR Judah S. Aliposa said, it will also support environmental education, data sharing, and policy recommendations to ensure a more sustainable and science-based approach to eagle conservation in the region.
The REWT is a unit within the DENR focused on monitoring and protecting Philippine eagles, particularly in specific regions, and is involved in conservation efforts like reintroduction programs.
The move to reconstitute the REWT comes in the heels of the release of three Philippine Eagles, a surplus in the eagle population in Mindanao, to the wilderness of the Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park in Burauen, Leyte.
The three eagles named Lyra Sinabadan, Lakpue, and Kalatungan I were transported by land from the National Bird Sanctuary in Davao in a bid to repopulate Leyte’s wilderness with these majestic birds.
(AHLLETE C. REYES, PIA-8)
