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Philippines
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Villar hails bird haven, mangrove

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Senator Cynthia Villar has stressed the importance of the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Eco-Tourism Area as a bird sanctuary and mangrove site as the country marked the 4th anniversary of the habitat’s designation as a Wetland of International Importance.

“We don’t have to go out of Metro Manila for a place where we could commune with nature. Here is an internationally recognized place where one can go bird-watching in a setting where diverse species of trees and mangrove thrive,” Villar said.

Four years ago, the eco-tourism area became Site No. 2124 in the Ramsar Convention list of Wetlands of International Importance. 

Over 2,200 sites in the world are included in this list as a recognition of their “significant value not only for the country or the countries in which they are located, but for humanity as a whole.”

Six other sites in the Philippines made it to the Ramsar list are Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Palawan, Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park in Sulu; Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Agusan del Sur; Naujan Lake National Park in Oriental Mindoro; Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Cebu; and Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Conservation Area in Negros Occidental.

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The 175-hectare of mangrove forest and marine habitat in the cities of Las Piñas and Parañaque serves as a sanctuary for 84 bird species, including migratory birds from as far as Siberia. It is the breeding site of the vulnerable Philippine duck and supports at least 1,000 of the remaining 100,000 remaining Black-Winged Stilts in the world.

It has 36 hectares of mangrove forest, the thickest and most diverse in Manila Bay with 11 species of mangroves growing in the area.

Villar said a memorandum of agreement was signed by the Department of Tourism, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, Department of Tourism and the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance for the development of the area, just like the Hong Kong Wetland Park.

Under the agreement, DENR will allocate P10 million to build nature trails and install water and electricity in the area.

TIEZA, on the other hand, will give P45 million for the construction of facilities such as the Wetland Center, birdhides, boardwalk and view towers. Villar SIPAG will donate for the construction of the visitors’ center. The Wetland Center will house a wetland museum, a training center, the office of DENR, a restaurant, and a souvenir shop.

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