By Jann Vinze Barcinal
Due to the continuous illegal environmental activities in Central Panay Mountains Key Biodiversity Area (KBA), one of the world’s most threatened hornbills, the Dulungan (Rufous-headed Hornbill) IUCN-critically endangered, is rapidly losing its home.
As a callback to this issue, the Haribon Foundation, a nature conservation organization, together with the DENR Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Aklan conducted an environmental law education and paralegal training for local Wildlife Enforcement Officers (WEO) last November 20-21, 2019 at MADECO Training Hall, Madalag, Aklan.
Lead by Haribon Foundation’s Conservation Specialist, Josiah David Quimpo, the training provided information about the status of the local forest biodiversity in the Philippines and in Panay Island.
“The Philippines is one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world, it means we host a lot of different animals and plants that can only be seen here, in our country. That is why it’s really important for us to protect it,” he explained.
Provincial environmental governing agency, DENR PENRO Aklan, represented by its Chief-Enforcement Division officer, Aren Jenson Rubin educated the participants about Philippine environmental laws and paralegal concepts.
“You, Bantay Gubat/Wildlife Enforcement Officers (WEO) are the eyes of the department on monitoring wildlife protection in forest areas.” – Rubin exclaimed.
The conjoined efforts of the two agency aims to strengthen the wildlife enforcement in the area through the help of the 26 new Bantay Gubat/WEO trainees coming from Madalag and neighbouring town Malinao, Aklan.
“I learned that some activities we do in the forest negatively affects our biodiversity and its wildlife. It would be nice if we apply what we learned today to protect the environment,” one participant quoted.
Down to eight percent from its original forest cover, the wildlife in Panay Island is threatened to extinction mainly because of habitat loss due to illegal logging, charcoal-making, and forest land coversion.
The wide area of CPMR covering number of towns in Antique and Aklan is considered a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) that hosts various endemic wildlife species, including the estimated remaining 2500 population of Rufous-headed Hornbills.
Engaging local communities has been one the major strategies of Haribon Foundation in conserving biodiversity.
“We are not only protecting the forest and its wildlife, but we are also protecting our homes, our livelihood. This is not only for the environment’s future, but also for ours,” Quimpo ended.
