BALANGA CITY, Bataan—The Balanga wetlands and marshlands are important to the existing migratory bird ecosystem in this part of the country, the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines said here.
“These wetlands and marshlands in Balanga villages of Tortugas, Puerto Rivas Ibaba, and Sibacan are important to the ecosystem involving migratory birds,” WBCP member Karen Ochavo pointed out during the water bird census here on Saturday.
“What the city government doing here in Balanga to protect and conserve migratory birds and their habitat is commendable, insofar as not disrupting the balance of the ecosystem,” Ochavo added.
City Administrator Rudy de Mesa said Mayor Francis Garcia and Vice Mayor Vianca Venzon-Gozon, as presiding officer of the city council, are committed to protecting the migratory birds and their habitat in the city.
“Our Ibong Dayo Festival is a Hall of Fame awardee as Best Tourism Event City Category from Department of Tourism, thus protecting the migratory birds is aligned with our tourism thrust,” De Mesa said.
“The mayor is also thankful for the villagers and visitors for not harming the birds and cooperating with the city in its drive to protect the environment,” he added.
The census counted 15,075 migratory birds in one day at the wetlands in four seaside villages of this city, lower than last year’s number, as tallied by representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and WBCP.
Cristine Cingco, WBCP secretary, said not all the migratory birds have arrived at Balanga. “It was very windy, only a few fishponds were dry, and the tide was high,” she added.
Cingco said the census still came up with a good number, considering the counts in Candaba, Pampanga, and other birdwatching sites were much lower.
There were 34 bird species spotted in Balanga but egrets, terns and plovers were the most seen in the wetlands.