Manila: Protecting the endangered Philippine eagle will extend beyond the Philippine Eagle Center (PEC), as the government, conservation groups, and Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities launched two planning initiatives Tuesday that will bring conservation work into ancestral domains and biodiversity landscapes in Eastern Mindanao.

According to Philippines News Agency, the launch held at the PEC in Malagos, Davao, was attended by Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna, who hailed the landmark partnership between the agency, the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 11, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and IP communities. Cuna emphasized the critical status of the Philippine eagle, stating, "The Philippine Eagle is a magnificent symbol of our national identity, our natural heritage, and the biological wealth of our country. Yet, today, it remains critically endangered and faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild."

PEF Director for Operations Jason Ibanes reported that only 392 pairs of Philippine eagles remain across Luzon, Eastern Visayas, and Mindanao, with Mindanao being its main stronghold. However, habitat loss and avoidable deaths, especially of young eagles, continue to threaten its survival. Cuna stressed the urgency of the situation, stating that every effort to preserve forest patches, safeguard nests, and prevent eagle deaths is crucial for the species' survival.

The initiative aims to develop the PEC as an eco-cultural tourism destination, educational park, and conservation academy. The proposed five-year planning process will involve stakeholder consultations, policy reviews, development of the academy, integration of indigenous knowledge, eco-cultural tourism, climate resilience, and visitor experience. Additionally, the focus will be on enhancing the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP) and supporting community conservation planning within selected ancestral domains in the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor.

The planning will integrate customary governance and Indigenous knowledge with conservation science, ecosystem management, spatial planning, and community-based monitoring. Cuna highlighted the recognition of Indigenous communities as rights holders, knowledge holders, conservation partners, and decision-makers within their ancestral domains.

Secretary Cuna also emphasized the importance of educating Indigenous Peoples to prevent harmful practices like shooting eagles or setting traps. He mentioned that through the program, IPs will be taught watershed management and wildlife conservation, among other topics.

IP leader Datu Rodino Domogoy of the Manobo tribe expressed gratitude to the DENR and the PEF for acknowledging the role of Indigenous Peoples in protecting and conserving the Philippine eagle. He appealed to all IP communities nationwide to actively participate in wildlife protection efforts, encouraging them to embody the spirit of conservation both in words and actions.