Hinimok ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) nitong Linggo, Enero 23, ang mga mambabatas na amyendahan ang Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001 upang mapaigting ang proteksyon ng Philippine Eagle na itinuring nang endangered species.
Nais ni DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu na amyendahan at lapatan ng mas mahigpit na parusa laban sa mga lalabag sa batas, o ang Republic Act (RA) 9147.
Ito ay matapos mapakawalan sa munisipalidad ng Godod, Zamboanga del Norte province ang isang Philippine eagle na pinangalanang “Godod” noong Enero 10.
Nailigtas si Godod, isang babaeng Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), kasunod ng ulat na ito ay nakulong at binihag ng isang residente sa Barangay Bunawan, Godod sa Zamboanga del Norte.
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“Experts in Philippine eagle biology and ecology deem that the surge in rescues during this time means that culprits are intruding into the forests to hunt for food and as a source of livelihood, thereby causing a disturbance in the forest habitats,” ani Cimatu.
“We have to remain vigilant and let the perpetrators know that there are environmental laws they have to face if they continue with such evil deeds. Continuously confronted with such acts, we urge our lawmakers to help us protect the Philippine eagle and other wildlife species,” dagdag niya.
Iniutos ng Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) sa Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte ang pagpapalaya kay Godod mataposmasuri na malusog ang raptor.
Bago ito ilabas, ang agila ay na-tag at na-install ng isang global positioning system o GPS tracker, kung saan sumailalim muna sa assessment ang release site upang masigurong angkop ito bilang isang tirahan.
Ang Philippine eagle ay isang critically endangered species sa ilalim ng DENR Administrative Order 2019-09 na kilala bilang updated National Lists of Threatened Philippine Fauna and their Categories at sa Appendix I ng Convention on International Trade for Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora o CITES kung saan sinabing ang mga species ay nanganganib nang maubos sa wild.
Kasama rin ito sa International Union for Conservation of Nature o IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Aaron Recuenco
