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Friday, August 1

birdfest time!

Philippine Bird Festival 2008 coming soon!

ROX sponsored the media launch of the 4th Philippine Bird Festival : Puerto Princesa, Aba, Kakaiba! last night!

It was a great party inspite of the horrendous traffic because of the relentless afternoon rains. Because the DOT is paying attention to birdwatching this year, we were graced with the presence of Sec Ace Durano and several media people. Mayor Joet Garcia and the Balanga folks were there too (including Tetchie B!) looking forward to Birdfest 09 in Bataan! Mike got impossibly stuck in traffic and almost didn't make it! Robert A and Anna G hosted the (just-the-right-length) program, and of course the WBCPers chatted and ate and drank the night away. Thanks to Alex L for once again documenting a WBCP event (some pics below!). As usual, birdfest palawan peacock-pheasant logo by Arnel T.
I'm sure everyone's excited and looking forward to Puerto Princesa in September...

Ready for the birdfest?!?

WBCP & DOT Sec Ace Durano group pic: who's wild?

Ang walang kamatayang Birds of the Philippines

4TH PHILIPPINE BIRD FESTIVAL – PUERTO PRINCESA

The 2008 Philippine Bird Festival themed: Aba, Kakaiba! will be
held on September 12 and 13 in Puerto Princesa City. The event also
marks the start of the annual winter migration of birds from
mainland Asia and Japan.

Aba, Kakaiba! 4th Philippine Bird Festival, aims to raise public
awareness about the diverse birdlife in Palawan and local efforts
for the protection of the still pristine forest, wetland and coastal
habitats of the country's western-most province. This year's
festival logo features the Palawan Peacock Pheasant, a beautiful
forest fowl found nowhere else in the world.

The 4th Philippine Bird Festival opens at the Puerto Princesa
Coliseum on September 12 with an exhibition of rarely seen photos of
Philippine birds, displays, lectures and film shows as well as art
and fun activities for the kids. Admission is free and schools are
encouraged to participate.

Puerto Princesa City will also host the 1st Bird Conservation Forum,
a pre-event to the Philippine Bird Festival. The Bird Conservation
Forum aims to bring bird-watching hobbyists, conservationists, eco
tour promoters and local stakeholders together to discuss bird
status and map plans for the protection of their critical habitats.

"The Philippine Bird Festival aims to get people excited about
nature and conservation through recreational bird watching and bird
photography," says nature enthusiast Michael Lu, president of the
Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP). The WBCP, the country's
premier bird-watching society, initiated the first bird festival in
2004. "Habitat loss from ill-planned development and urban pressure
is the greatest threat to bird populations and other wildlife. The
WBCP hopes to get communities and professional planners actively
involved in developing ways to help wildlife through green spaces
and nature-friendly property management."

On September 13, delegates will also visit the Puerto Princesa
Subterranean River National Park, followed by a trip to Rasa Island
sponsored by the Katala Foundation, on September 14. The
Subterranean River National Park along with Rasa Island, the last
stronghold of the endemic and much-threatened Katala or Philippine
Cockatoo, have been included as bird-watching hotspots in the
Adventure Philippines program of Recreational Outdoor Exchange
(ROX) and Department of Tourism.

The choice of Palawan to host the 4th Philippine Bird Festival
received support and encouragement from local and international
conservation organizations, public officials and the business sector.

Among the organizations that are participating in the Philippine
Bird Festival are Katala Foundation, Birdwatch Palawan, WWF-
Philippines, Conservation International, Cebu Biodiversity
Conservation Foundation, Isla Biodiversity Conservation, Tubbataha
Reef Marine Natural Park Office, Philippine Butterfly Habitat
Conservation Society, Art Thrive, My Zoo Foundation and Birding
Adventure Philippines. International organizations such as the
Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network, Wild Bird Society of
Taipei, the Chinese Wild Bird Federation, Xiamen Birdwatching
Society, Bird Conservation Society of Thailand and the Nature
Photographic Society (Singapore) have confirmed participation for
this year's project.

The bird festival is sponsored by the Department of Tourism, Puerto
Princesa City, Team Energy Foundation, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation,
Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club, Landco Pacific Corporation,
Katala Foundation, Birdwatch Palawan, Aigle and the Recreational
Outdoor Exchange (ROX).

Tuesday, November 27

ROX Bird Race Challenge

Recreational Outdoor Exchange (ROX) of Bonifacio High Street in Taguig City, the biggest recreational outdoor sports hub in Southeast Asia, is taking a bold step for adventure racing in the country with the ROX BIRD RACE CHALLENGE, the first and only race of its kind in the Philippines in partnership with the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP).
Taking cue from events like the famed Fraser’s Hill International Bird Race in Malaysia, Hong Kong’s Big Bird Race and the Singapore Bird Race, the ROX BIRD RACE CHALLENGE aims to draw
public attention to Metro Manila’s remaining green spaces and threatened wetlands, parks and grassland habitats, which racers will visit in order to record as many bird species possible within a 24-hour period.
“The WBCP expects an exciting race and good numbers of bird arrivals based on our initial surveys and bird counts,” says urban planner and Wild Bird Club of the Philippines vice president Anna Gonzales. Bird species recorded in Metro Manila numbers more than 100 species at this time of year, when migrants from mainland Asia and Japan stay the duration of the winter.
“Bird watching as a popular recreation is fairly new in the country,” according to Gonzales, who hopes the bird race will spark ideas about conserving the urban green areas of Metro Manila and “getting our kids high on outdoor activities and science.”
The ROX Bird Race Challenge is open to experienced bird watchers and new hobbyists, first-time adventure racers, outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers of all ages. Teams of 4 members each, consisting of 2 to 3 birdwatching hobbyists and at least one first-time birdwatcher, will be given a checklist of birds to tick off as spotted during the course of the race from 3:00 p.m of December 1 to 3:00 pm of December 2.
“We hope to provide the outdoor experience that will sustain the consciousness for the conservation of the environment,” according to Roel Chan, marketing manager of Primer Group, the firm managing ROX. “You can’t say let’s save the habitat when you haven’t seen the habitat. We want people to go out there and have that positive feeling when they come back from this race and get into positive action.”
To highlight the culmination of the race, ROX is holding a series of activities starting 2:00 pm December 2. A tent set-up along the promenade fronting Recreational Outdoor Exchange in Bonifacio High Street will host environmental exhibits, lectures, an activity corner where kids can practice art skills and enjoy face-painting and a wildlife conservation show featuring animals from the DENR Wildlife Rescue Center. These activities are open to the public free of charge.
Recreational Outdoor Exchange at Building 1, Bonifacio High Street, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig or call: 856-4638-39 or email the organizers at: Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, attention Michael Lu, myckle@thenet.ph