Save the Freedom Island!

A petition created by the EARTH ISLAND INSTITUTE-PHILIPPINES in a movement to SAVE THE FREEDOM ISLAND along Manila Bay.

In the midst of chaotic urbanization and rapid environmental depletion in the cities of Las Pinas and Paranaque lies a sanctuary for local and migratory birds, namely, Freedom Island and Long Island or collectively known as FREEDOM ISLANDS. But its name is a paradox of its whole story.

The 175 hectare haven stretches at the western side of the Cavite-Manila Coastal Road. It is a natural shield against typhoons and its lagoon functions as an outlet for major waterways in the two cities. Local fisherfolk families such as the magtatahong or mussels and shellfish gatherers also depend on it for their livelihood. Its rich ecosystem plays a vital role for men, birds and marine life.

It is the only remaining coastal periphery of mangroves, salt marshes and multifarious biodiversity in Metro Manila that serves as an avian refuge for 80 different species of birds including the Black-crowned Night Herons, Kentish plovers, Curlew Sandpipers and Siberian Ruby Throats, the endangered Chinese Egret, Philippine Duck and the rare Pied Avocet. By this virtue, it was declared as a critical habitat in 2007 by Proclamation No: 1412.

But on the contrary, an impending devastation perpetuated by the national government itself through the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) awaits Freedom Islands. The Las Pinas –Paranaque Critical Habitat and Eco-Tourism Area (LPPCHEA) Project plan to reclaim 635 hectares of the shoreline in front of the sanctuary. According to the design of the P14 Billion ($ 324 Million) project, a highway linking the future business centers of Las Pinas and Paranaque with the rest of Metro Manila will cut through the mangroves and about 15 percent of the island will be removed to pave way for a drainage system.

Although the PRA argues that the rest of the island will remain intact for eco-tourism purposes, said infrastructures would pen in the critical habitat wherein saltwater could not circulate and eventually extinguish the mangrove trees. The disintegration of its ecosystem would not only displace birds and livelihoods but also threats big floods for the two cities.

Furthermore, the project forms part of the controversial Manila-Cavite Coastal Road and Reclamation Project (MCCRRP), the resurrected PEA-Amari deal that the Supreme Court has already voided with finality in November 11, 2003 because of issues of patrimony, social injustice, environmental crimes and unconstitutionality. Change of players’ names is somehow intended to mislead the issue. But it’s still the same old modus operandi of the government-corporate mafia.

The Philippine Estates Authority (PEA) was simply renamed as the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA); and the Amari Estates Co Ltd. was replaced by Italian-Thai Development Public Co. LTD (ITD-PCL) which are both owned and/or controlled by the wealthy and powerful Charanachitta family of Thailand. The MCRP Construction Corporation, which is the local counterpart of the ITD-PCL, is a subsidiary/ affiliate of the Cyber Bay Corporation. The latter has claims for reimbursement representing a total project development cost and total project-related receivables in the amount of P 10.2 billion with the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA). Such claims allow the MCRP / ITD-PCL to control the island for their private business purposes while local fisherfolks and the public are not allowed to enter the facility. Birdwatchers are allowed only into a certain extent in the area.

It is , therefore, a clear disrespect to the Philippine laws and the Supreme Court. It is also an issue of national patrimony aside from issues of livelihood displacement and further environmental disaster.
Our protest against the reclamation project affecting Freedom Islands is essential to our struggle for national patrimony and well-being of the people and the environment. Freedom Island is a symbolic depiction of the entire country. It must be truly freed from environmental exploitation, corporate greed and foreign interests.

SAVE FREEDOM ISLANDS! NO TO RECLAMATION PROJECT!

SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT… DEFEND OUR PATRIMONY!

 Sign the Petition here.

Morong-Subic Birding Adventure

It started and ended in Subic. A White-throated Kingfisher and a Large-billed Crow welcomed us as we drive past Subic International Airport along SBMA Road going to Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club in Morong, Bataan. Then, Whiskered Tree-Swifts roosted on power cables were our last twitching the next day.

I had 9 lifers in 2 days (May 12 and 13); not to mention the most impressive and eye-catching bird displays and behavior in the wild. Here they are:

1. Bar-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike
2. Pink-necked Green-Pigeon
3. Blue-throated Bee-eater
4. Mangrove Blue Flycatcher
5. Blue-naped Parrot
6. Greater Flameback
7. Green Imperial-Pigeon
8. Red Junglefowl
9. Whiskered Tree-Swift 

 

Subic is the place to be. Need I say more?

A guided trip for the staff and guests of Anvaya Cove was the itinerary for two days. Along with Jops, Maia and Sir Jun of WBCP, we walked the participants through the bike trail and introduced them our unnoticed winged friends! The bird list for that afternoon birding stroll includes a couple of Black-naped Orioles, Large-billed Crows, White-breasted Wood-Swallow, Lowland White-eyes, Blue-throated Bee-eaters, White-collared Kingfishers among many others. Among the attendees stand out a boy named Steven (or Stephen, that I'm not sure), a curious kid who keenly asked questions during the entire walk. He ingenuously asked why the Oriole is named as such, and kidded it sounded like Oreo. He was the most energetic and active that time. Hahaha, so cute!


We had the ample time to see more birds outside our cabin the following morning. There we sighted a pair of Pink-necked Green-Pigeons, Bar-bellied Cuckoo-Shrikes (and yes, they’re my lifers!), Black-naped Orioles, Glossy Starling, Stripe-headed Rhabdornis etc. I think they also heard a Great-eared Nightjar, poor me I woke up late. After having buffet breakfast at the main pavilion of the Beach and Nature Club, we entered the Nature trail and start our business there. The sighting of the White-throated Kingfisher made the participants excited because of its striking polychromatic plumage. Our birdlist for that morning was striking because of some unexpected calls and sightings such as the Mangrove Blue Flycatcher, Black-naped Monarch (which was seen only by Jops ), Red-crested Malkoha, Hooded Pitta, the shy Common Koel which didn’t show up and produced only vivid songs, and the ever cutest Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker. The morning tour lasted for about 3.5 hrs, which includes the trek and river crossing! Tiring as it may seem, that session was more than a guided trip or a pastime but it has produced more environmentally-aware, bird-loving and active individuals! :D

Our reward: Mediterranean buffet for lunch!

After that guilt-ridden meal, we headed back home.

a souvenir photo with the Anvaya staff. look at their orange jelly belts! aren't they cool? :D (photo courtesy of Sir Jun Osano)

Anvaya beach on the background. (photo courtesy of Sir Jun Osano)

Wait, that’s not the way this adventure ended.

We had a wonderful, awesome, fantastic, amazing, great, excellent *insert all extravagant adjectives here* birding sidetrip in Subic. The reason? Aside from the 5 additional lifers I got, we encountered spectacular bird sightings and behaviour there! Indeed, Subic is the place to be for birdwatchers. It still has some of its primary forests, though developments and construction occurred, birds have totally thrived to survive and get along with these man-made structures.

We ran across perennial bird species (and certainly new to me and my lifers) such as Blue-naped Parrot, Green Imperial-Pigeon, Greater Flameback, Colasisi, Balicassiao, Coleto, Bar-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike, Tarictic Hornbill and Philippine Coucal. One instance is when we were abruptly thrown forward inside the van because Maia saw a Tarictic Hornbill just in time it perched on a suspended branch making it sway, more like a kid enjoying a swing! How really cool it was! So we went outside the van to check it out, and drooled to that epic scene like first-time birdwatchers!

Birds were nonchalantly flying around the montane forest. You’ll be surprised if you could not hear a single call or see a winged silhouette past above you.  As we drove by the roadside, a Coleto crashed into a post, either threatened by us or protecting hatchlings in that hole. Another lifer for me is the Red Junglefowl, though it was a female, I can actually consider it as a lifer since the female species is harder to find by chance according to the experienced birders I was with. And, thanks to them, I finally got to see Whiskered Tree-Swifts (which I wasn’t able to glimpse even a shadow in Mt. Palay-Palay) along the SBMA road on our way home.

Before we finally headed back home, Sir Jun asked the driver (whose name is Kuya Tikyo if I’m not mistaken) if we could make a detour. What he wanted us to get a look were the nests of Blue-throated Bee-eaters. And guess what? They’re located on a sloping ground just beside a residential house! The nests were like drainage holes and were guarded by bee-eaters flying overhead as they clutch bees into their beaks. That was really awesome! What's more striking was our sighting of a Tarictic Hornbill on a cable wire! Imagine them perching on wires in Metro Manila, that's wild!

I ended this great birding adventure watching the Big Year the entire trip going back to Manila.

Look who's remarkably inspired here? *wink*

Worth Bragging.

NO SWEAT.

In less than an hour, I got to see 5 new lifers! :D Thanks to the guided trip last Saturday at the La Mesa Ecopark organized by the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, I met two of my nemesis birds, the COLASISI and the WHITE-EARED BROWN-DOVE. What more remarkable is our sighting of the ASHY GROUND-THRUSH, RED-BELLIED PITTA and HOODED PITTA.

It all happened before the guided bird trip. As we entered the Ecopark, we saw the Colasisi perched atop a tree, feeding on leaves. Then there was the White-eared Brown-Dove, also preening and feeding on the adjacent tree. There, it was a good start - 2 lifers. Though we expect to encounter the Ashy Ground-Thrush (AGT) and the Red-bellied Pitta (RBP), one rare species was yet to be seen, the colorful Hooded Pitta (HP).

Twitching these two species of Pitta is something one can really be proud of. The RBP is a common resident on the trails of the La Mesa Ecopark, while the sighting of the HP is an incidental one near the entrance of the park. First thought to be a White-throated Kingfisher, the blend of blue, green and cinnamon over the pitta's body evidently proved that it's indeed the rare HP. We were amused and shocked when it flew across the street, and apparently there were two of them one chasing the other. Jops (Josef) and Sir Jun (Osano) then confirmed it was really a HP. It was really an awesome, awesome moment as a birder. :D

Then the guided trip began. 9 were there as participants and there were 8 of us as guides. Bird photographers were also present, lead by the Club's Vice-President, Mr. Alain Pascua. Common birds were seen such as the all-time-favorite Guaiabero, Black-naped Oriole, Pied Fantail, Brown Shrike, Grey-streaked Flycatcher, Yellow-vented Bulbul and the nesting White-eared Brown-Dove.

We eventually proceeded to the trails where the RBP and the AGT are wandering. Just a few meters inside the forest trail, we heard a low, long croo-croooo call. The birders affirmed it was the RBP's call. Jonie, one of the guides imitated the call to attract the pitta. After some time, Sir Jun did see it standing on a fallen tree branch.   Fellow birders were amazed by the expanding and contracting of the RBP's breast while making its call. One beautiful feature of the RBP is it's red belly, thus the name. After that we tried the other side of the trail to twitch the AGT. Since it is a ground dwelling bird, you really have to kneel down to peek through the trunks and see it. After around 5-10 minutes of waiting, it appeared hopping, looking around for some worms. The AGT is a small, endemic bird that resides on the ground; since its discovery in the park, it has attracted a lot of birders and bird photographers. The RBP's call was heard again near the AGT side. After following its sound, we saw it face-to-face just right beside me crossing the trail. It was a heart-attack view, so close I can actually touch it. Letting it pass, all of us were wide-eyed and mesmerized!

I have birded in the La Mesa Ecopark several times, and this recent trip was the best encounter so far! I have just seen my nemesis birds, an endemic bird and the two Pittas in less than an hour and only in one local area! Even I was wearing a hoodie that time, it was a no-sweat birding experience! :D

Birdwatching at its Best.

Avian Archipelago by Ivan Sarenas

This is the PHILIPPINES: the BIRDING REPUBLIC.

Considered as one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, this Southeast Asian country is a haven of 600+ bird species with almost 200+ endemics. (These endemic species are species that can only be found in a specific area.) This makes the country one of the best sites for birdwatching.

From the northern cluster of Batanes islands down to the tip of Sulu and Tawi-tawi, the Philippines has its best to offer for birdwatchers, birdwatching enthusiasts and bird photographers. Every island is a home to spectacular sighting of birds - forest, migratory, shore or urban birds.

The Avian Archipelago video presents the abundance in bird species of the Philippines and serve as a tribute to the budding advocacy of birdwatching in the country. With its high degree of diversity and endemism, more and more birdwatchers gathered together. With the aim of conserving the country's threatened environment, these enthusiasts immerse themselves in the niche of these winged creatures.

Birdwatching is an ultimate experience with nature, remarkably when one gets to meet birds he was unfamiliar with before. It is a means of divulging into the Earth's best offers. The Philippines is at the forefront of this extraordinary sanctuary, waiting to be explored and valued.