Apayao eyes Unesco fete for eagle sanctuary

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Further fortifying efforts to protect the Philippine Eagle in the country’s remaining virgin forests, Apayao has its sights set on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) Biosphere Reserve title.  

“Part of preservation of our national resources specially biosphere reserve, with the presence of our Philippine Eagle, we have partnered with United States Foreign Service (USFS) to help in the preservation. We are planning, we are now doing the legwork for the possible inscription of the province of Apayao for Unesco biodiversity,” Apayao Gov. Elias Bulut Jr. said. 

There are 15 Philippine Eagles in Calanasan town. 

Puerto Galera in Mindoro Island (1977), Palawan (1990) and Albay (2016) are the only three Unesco-designated biosphere reserves in the country. 

The USFS and the Apayao provincial government unit inked a partnership, now on its third year, for the deployment of scientists to look into new species and document unique features of the forest areas of Apayao. 

The province has also partnered with the Philippine Eagle Foundation, a non-government organization in Davao. 

“Those in the foreign service say Apayao is unique compared to the other biosphere reserves, for example in Albay they have the sea and not virgin forest, so we’ll have a different approach. We have to document these discoveries and give scientific terms. It takes five to 10 years to complete,” Bulut said, citing another exploration scheduled this February by the USFS. 

He said that one area they want to enter is a virgin forest located near Apayao’s border with Abra province. 

Bulut and Abra Gov. Ma. Jocelyn Bernos have discussed extending aid in the preservation of forest areas in their borders so that efforts to protect the Philippine Eagles are sustained.