The Conceptual framework of the Philippine eagle sanctuary finally came into fruition in 2021 after two decades of proposal with the perseverance, dedication and passion of the main author, Dennis Joseph I. Salvador, the executive director of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF). 

Why establish PECBS?

The creation of a sanctuary for the eagles is an initiative of PEF through the leadership of Salvador, with a campaign tagline #TransferBreedingEaglesNow.

“These are the top two diseases that may affect, and in fact could be fatal to the Philippine eagles,” said Dr. Jayson C. Ibañez, PEF’s Director of Research and Conservation.

“Unfortunately, hindi po mapigilan din ng City Government at mga agencies because lahat po ng mga lands surrounding the Philippine Eagle Center, except of course dun sa Malagos Protected Area natin, puro mga private lots, so may karapatan sila of their lands,” he added.

The woodland buffer in the neighboring lands around PEC, which is located in Malagos, Baguio District in Davao City, has also thinned out.

The new breeding process

Unlike the present breeding procedures through artificial incubation, the new facility features natural breeding techniques.

“We have these challenges with yung procedure natin yung artificial incubation, kukunin mo yung egg at ilalagay sa incubator (we’ll get the egg and put it in the incubator) and the chick once it hatch, ang mag aalaga nyan is yung caretaker (the caretaker will be the one to take care),” Ibañez.

These breeding and conservation techniques create human imprints on the eagles.

“The Philippine Eagle thinks that it’s a human being. So, it is now attached to the person, and it is difficult to release them to the wild. Because once you released the bird, it would seek people and that would make them vulnerable to shooting activities,” he explained.

He mentioned that while the construction of the facility is still in progress, the completion of the breeding cages is anticipated later this year, facilitating the transfer of the initial six breeding Philippine eagles and one natural pair from PEC. Currently, six holding cages have been finished, with one eagle to be housed in each holding cage.

“We have six holding cages, so that would accommodate six Philippine eagles, one eagle per cage. And we also have a breeding cage for a natural pair,” Ibañez mentioned.

Initially, the target completion date was set for April 2023. However, due to challenges encountered during construction, such as adverse weather conditions, there was a delay. Fortunately, with the assistance of both individual and group volunteers, the project persevered. 

“If ever matapos sya ng September, we will do the transfer of the first eight. And from there, the following year during breeding, umpisahan ulit yung construction ng mga (construction then starts for the) additional cages,” Ibañez disclosed.

He said that the construction is in accordance with local, national, and international standards. To ensure that standards are followed, Dr. Chris McClure, executive vice-president of the Science and Conservation-The Peregrine Fund, visited the area and inspected the construction activities.

“He was very impressed by our facility. (The construction) is based on the international standards for the care of captive eagles, large eagles,” Ibañez said.

Call for more support

PEF expresses its gratitude for the ongoing project and continues to appeal for support to safeguard and preserve these iconic birds and their natural habitat.

 Ibañez extended his appreciation to supporters from the private sector, government agencies, private individuals, non-government organizations, and local communities.

He also shared that the funding support faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the ongoing importance of financial assistance to sustain their critical conservation efforts.

In Davao, PEF successfully marked its conservation and breeding efforts when it produced the first two Philippine Eagles bred and hatched in captivity in 1992.

It was the birth of Pag-asa (Hope) and Pagkakaisa (Unity) that caught the world's attention, and eventually led to the subsequent outpouring of public support and sympathy, which bolstered the efforts to save the species.

Part of PEF’s comprehensive approach to conservation of the Philippine eagles and their habitat, are engaging in research, off-site and on-site protection, community-based efforts, and public education. (RJ/CLC, PIA-XI)