PROTECTING OUR WILDLIFE PROTECTED AREAS

PROTECTING OUR WILDLIFE PROTECTED AREAS

The Philippines is a biodiversity hotspot, home to countless endemic species and rich ecosystems. However, despite the establishment of wildlife protected areas, our ability to safeguard these critical habitats remains questionable.

The former Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) has been renamed the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), signaling a broader scope in conservation efforts. But does this rebranding come with increased funding? Unfortunately, the budget allocation appears to remain limited, raising concerns about the bureau’s capacity to effectively carry out its mandate.

Another critical issue is the absence of a structured and active captive breeding program for endangered wildlife species. Apart from the efforts dedicated to the Philippine Eagle, there appears to be little to no government-driven initiatives for other at-risk species. This is a missed opportunity, as many public and private zoos globally have taken up the role of breeding endangered animals to ensure their survival.

Ironically, our so-called "protected" areas are often porous, allowing poachers and illegal hunters easy access. If we cannot even safeguard these designated zones, how can we expect to protect our wildlife? Stronger enforcement and stricter penalties are needed to address these breaches.

A major gap exists at the local government level. Not all LGUs have their own veterinarians, which is alarming given their responsibility to support poultry and livestock industries. Beyond economic concerns, the absence of veterinarians means that local governments cannot provide essential veterinary care for stray animals and, more importantly, for wildlife in their jurisdictions. It is reasonable to expect LGUs to extend veterinary care to endangered wildlife, given their role in environmental governance.

A recent incident in Negros Island caught my attention—a rare Visayan leopard cat was captured. Upon further research, I found that while a small population of these cats exists in captivity, no active breeding programs are in place. Why are we not making more efforts to protect and repopulate this species? If other countries, like Australia, are investing in reviving extinct species such as the Tasmanian Tiger, surely, we can take steps to bolster the dwindling numbers of the Visayan Leopard Cat before it faces extinction.

It does not matter whether the government or private institutions take the lead in these breeding initiatives. If private organizations, like Zoomanity, are already excelling in caring for species such as tigers, why not fund them to spearhead breeding programs? Collaboration between the public and private sectors could yield much-needed conservation successes.

Beyond breeding programs, the fundamental issue remains: how do we ensure the protection of our protected areas? Should we mobilize the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to monitor these zones more effectively? Should we introduce higher rewards for those who report and apprehend violators?

Our endemic birds also deserve more attention. While the Philippine Eagle receives considerable conservation efforts, other species like the Palawan Pheasant and the Philippine Duck also require urgent protection. If we do not act now, we risk losing these irreplaceable species forever.

Encouragingly, some private initiatives have shown promise. For instance, the SM Group purchased a piece of land in Cavite that serves as a habitat for giant clams (Taklobo) and has successfully protected it. This model of private conservation should be encouraged and supported by the government.

The Philippines boasts an impressive network of 244 protected areas, including national parks, marine reserves, and wildlife sanctuaries. Among the most notable are the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, and the Philippine Eagle Center. While these areas play a crucial role in conservation, they require better funding, stronger enforcement, and greater community involvement to be truly effective.

If we are serious about conserving our biodiversity, we must take decisive action. Whether through government programs, private sector involvement, or stronger enforcement measures, the protection of our wildlife and their habitats should be a national priority. Let’s not wait until it’s too late.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

04-23-2025

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HOW IS THE CRIME RATE COMPUTED IN THE PHILIPPINES?

HOW IS THE CRIME RATE COMPUTED IN THE PHILIPPINES? When we talk about the crime rate in the Philippines, we often assume that the figures we see are accurate reflections of reality. But have we ever paused to ask—how exactly is the crime rate computed? Where does this data come from, and how reliable is it? The computation of the crime rate in the Philippines is officially handled by the Philippine National Police (PNP). The formula itself is straightforward: Crime Rate = (Total Reported Crimes / Total Population) x 100,000 This simple equation gives us the number of crimes per 100,000 people, allowing for fair comparison across regions and time periods. However, the reality behind these numbers is more complex than it appears. Data from the Ground The foundation of our national crime rate is empirical data collected at the grassroots level—from individual police stations scattered across the country. Every reported crime is logged in local police blotters, forming the buil...
Read more

GREY AREAS IN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS

GREY AREAS IN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS Dear Mr. President: May I ask who is going to be the arbiter or referee whenever there are overlaps in functions between two or more government agencies? I imagine that there would be no problem if these agencies would just cooperate and collaborate with each other, but what if they are unable to settle their differences and they would just end up throwing blame at each other or finger pointing at each other? Allow me to cite some examples. Who is supposed to take the lead in waste to energy projects? Is it supposed to be the DENR that is supposed to handle waste? Or is it supposed to be the DOE that is supposed to handle energy generation? Or is it supposed to be the DILG since it is the one that could direct or influence the waste to energy projects of LGUs? Who is supposed to take the lead in producing and promoting the use of biofuels? Is it supposed to be the DA, since the production of biofuels is supposed to be all about planting biofuel ...
Read more

LOCALIZED FREE AMBULANCE SERVICES

LOCALIZED FREE AMBULANCE SERVICES As it is supposed to be, anyone in the Philippines should be able to dial 911, and a telephone operator should be able to dispatch fire, rescue, ambulance and police (FRAP) units as soon as possible, based on acceptable response times. I invented the FRAP acronym for easy recall, and I hope it sticks, if there is no other alternative. Unfortunately, due to a mixture of technical and political reasons, the Philippines has not adopted 911 as a national number, because some LGUs would rather use their own three-digit numbers such as 117 and 168. I actually proposed a technical solution to that problem, but it was not adopted either. For whatever it is worth, my solution is to install a call forwarding system that could route all calls to a central operator, regardless of what number is dialed. It is very sad for me to know that up to now, even if our country is already over one hundred years old, there are still many LGUs that do not have fire trucks. it ...
Read more