A REPRESENTATIVE from the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) said that around 1,000 trees out of the 3 million trees had been adopted since they launched their Planting for the Future campaign in March 2024.
“More or less 1,000 but we are targeting companies as of now kasi [because] aside from adopters sa [on the] website we also have companies na naga contact sa amin na hindi lang [that contact us and that they do not only want to] adopt a tree but a whole plot,” Harold Kim Manla, forest restoration marketing officer of PEF, said at the sidelines of the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday morning, August 5, 2024, at SM City Davao.
“Malaki-laki pa ang kailangan [We still need a lot of trees] so that’s why we really need the help of the community, the general community, the general public, the private sectors in this cause,” he continued.
The “Planting for the Future” campaign by the foundation was launched in March 2024 as a support to its main advocacy which is conserving the critically endangered Philippine Eagle.
Unlike other tree-planting initiatives, Planting for the Future offers transparency where donors can monitor their trees through a comprehensive database and tracking system accessible to funders. The goal is to reforest around 1,200 hectares of land that are nesting sites for the Philippine Eagle.
Manla noted that there are only 392 eagle pairs in the wild and that for a pair to create a nest and produce an egg, they need an average of 7,000 hectares of forest cover. He said that the foundation is struggling with its initiative because the remaining forest covers in the Philippines cannot accommodate the remaining eagle pairs in the wild.
He added that Mindanao is one of the hotspots for Philippine Eagles, as the region still has a significant forest cover.
It can be noted that Philippine Eagle Mangayon died from severe injuries due to a gunshot wound on its left wing on July 8, and Philippine Eagle Uswag died one month after being translocated to Leyte.
The 3 million trees will be planted in the ancestral domains of Davao City, Arakan, Bukidnon, San Fernando, Malaybalay, Sta. Cruz in Davao del Sur, and Makilala in Cotabato.
The indigenous communities that the foundation is assisting include Bagobo Tagabawa, Bagobo Klata, Obu Manuvu, Ita, and others located near Philippine Eagle nesting sites.
Adopting a tree costs about P250. Those interested can use PayPal, GCash, or the GlobeOne app. Globe users can convert their Globe Rewards points into donations through the app, where one reward point is equivalent to P 1. They can access the app, click the “Rewards” banner, and then look for the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) under the “Donations” tab. For GCash donations, visit https://www.philippineeaglefoundation.org/donate-capital-campaign and scan the QR code using the GCash app.
Donors can also leave a message if they want to adopt a specific type of tree or plant it in a particular area. RGP