WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO SAVE THE PHILIPPINE EAGLE? ARE WE DOING ENOUGH ALREADY?

WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO SAVE THE PHILIPPINE EAGLE? ARE WE DOING ENOUGH ALREADY?

The short answer is no, we are not doing enough yet.

Yes, there have been remarkable successes in Philippine Eagle conservation. From an estimated population of barely a hundred individuals in the 1960s, conservation efforts have reportedly increased the number to about 400 breeding pairs today. The Philippine Eagle Foundation has done admirable work in breeding, rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing eagles back into the wild.

But is that enough?

I do not think so.

Some conservation experts consider 500 breeding individuals as a minimum threshold for relative stability. Personally, I prefer the more rigorous concept of the Minimum Viable Population (MVP) used in conservation biology. For large apex predators such as the Philippine Eagle, the ideal MVP could reach 5,000 individuals or more to ensure long-term survival against disease outbreaks, genetic decline, natural disasters, and environmental changes.

By that standard, we still have a very long way to go.

The greatest threat to the Philippine Eagle is not lack of scientific knowledge. It is the continuing destruction of its habitat.

A single breeding pair may require between 7,000 and 13,000 hectares of forest to survive. The eagle does not merely need trees; it needs entire ecosystems. When forests are cut, the eagle loses not only its nesting sites but also the wildlife that serves as its food source.

This is why saving the Philippine Eagle is ultimately about saving our forests.

I believe the government should become far stricter in issuing logging permits and timber licenses, particularly in eagle habitats. In fact, I think we are already in a position to prohibit the cutting of naturally growing trees in old-growth forests altogether and rely primarily on planted species for our construction requirements.

If trees can be openly and brazenly cut even in Metro Manila, how much more in remote mountain areas where law enforcement is weaker?

Another issue that deserves renewed attention is "kaingin" or slash-and-burn farming. Condemning upland farmers alone will not solve the problem. The government must provide alternative sources of livelihood through agroforestry, eco-tourism, organic agriculture, and high-value crops that can generate income without destroying forests.

I also believe that our Indigenous Peoples (IPs) should become the frontliners of forest protection. Many countries already arm and empower forest guards to combat poaching and illegal logging. Perhaps we should consider deputizing indigenous communities that have lived in these forests for generations. Doing so would not only protect the eagle's habitat but also provide sustainable livelihoods for our indigenous brothers and sisters.

We should also embrace technology.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Science and Technology should actively pursue technology transfer agreements and joint research programs with countries that have been successful in bird conservation, captive breeding, and rewilding programs. Aside from the ASEAN countries, bilateral and multilateral partnerships with countries such as Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea could provide valuable expertise.

Another idea is the creation of an integrated, real-time national database for wildlife crimes and habitat loss. Reports of poaching, illegal logging, and forest encroachment remain fragmented and often manual. A digital monitoring system could help identify hotspots and enable faster law enforcement responses.

More importantly, we need to think beyond protecting individual birds.

We need to protect entire mountain ranges.

The Philippine Eagle is what conservationists call an "umbrella species." By protecting it, we automatically protect watersheds, biodiversity, and countless other species that depend on the same ecosystems.

The eagle is more than our national bird. It is an indicator of the health of our forests and, ultimately, of our environmental future.

Could the Philippine Eagle disappear forever?

The answer is yes, if we continue to destroy its habitat.

But is it too late to save it?

Thankfully, the answer is no.

The future of the Philippine Eagle has not yet been decided. It will depend largely on the choices we make today. If we protect our forests, empower our indigenous communities, strengthen law enforcement, and invest in science and technology, our national bird can still recover.

But if we continue doing only what we are doing now, I fear that future generations may know the Philippine Eagle only through photographs and museum displays.

And that would be a tragedy beyond words.

RAMON IKE V. SENERES

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