THE Philippine Eagle Foundation’s (PEF) three-day event successfully soars off as the 27th Philippine Eagle Week 2025 enters its final phase at SM City Davao from June 9 to 11, 2025.
With the theme, Soaring Together: Empowering Communities, Educating Minds, and Protecting the Philippine Eagle, the event calls on the key players of eagle and environmental protection, as well as several youth leaders to continue the legacy of conservation.
The one-week celebration started at the heart of the advocacy, the Philippine Eagle Center, last June 4 which featured interactive and fun-stimulating activities for guests and partners to enjoy.
The second and last half then expanded its venue and message to various SM Malls across the country, from SM City Cabanatuan to the last send-off in Davao City.
Dr. Franklyn Buenaflor, the Development Project Officer of Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Davao Region (DENR-Davao), highlighted the department’s priorities and support towards the advocacy. He revealed that although this was the case, efforts for conservation and protection was still no easy feat.
“That's why ang amoang mission is to mobilize our citizenry in protecting, conserving, and managing our environment and natural resources. That's why critical ang support not only sa central office, private sector, but of course sa may tag-iya sa luna, which is of course sa atong indigenous cultural communities,” he said.
(That’s why our mission is to mobilize our citizenry in protecting, conserving, and managing our environment and natural resources. That's why support is critical not only for the central office, private sector, but of course to the owners of the land, which is of course our indigenous cultural communities.)
This was followed up by Mirasol Ocampo, the chief of the Wildlife Section of the Biodiversity Management Bureau, who directed the message into an inspirational call to action in which she tied it to the community’s empowerment, education, and protection.
“A mission [The Philippine Eagle Conservation] that speaks not only to the survival of one of the world's rarest birds, but to the strength and spirit of the Filipino people. The Philippine eagle, our national bird, is more than just a symbol of pride,” she said.
“It represents the richness of our natural heritage, the power of nature, and the fragility of our ecosystems. With only a few hundred left in the wild, each Philippine eagle is a reminder of what we stand to lose and what we must strive to protect,” she further added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Jayson Ibanez, director of Operations of the Philippine Eagle Foundation, said that regular citizens can help in the call to action and preservation of our environment and life.
“First step is to siguro speak to their curiosity. So that's why meron tayong exhibit so that people can see a taxidermy specimen of the Philippine eagle (First step is to, I suppose, speak to their curiosity. So that’s why we have exhibits so that people can see a taxidermy specimen of the Philippine eagle),” he said.
“And then you have the posters. And then of course we have volunteers that can talk about the Philippine eagle. And through these conversations, they can provide information on how the public can generally help,” he added.