2 Philippine eagles sighted in Cotabato province
KIDAPAWAN CITY, Cotabato — Environmentalists in Soccsksargen region have spotted at least two Philippine eagles (Pithecophaga jefferyi) in Cotabato province, suggesting that the forests surrounding the country’s highest peak remain a healthy habitat for the endangered national bird.
Conservationists said such sightings are encouraging signs of the continued success of preservation efforts in the region.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Region 12 Executive Director Felix Alicer said that during the Nov. 4–7 semestral monitoring, environmentalists recorded one of the majestic raptors soaring along the forest edges of Mt. Sinaka in Cotabato. The sighting marks the eagle’s return to the area after going unrecorded for the past two years.
DENR experts attributed its absence to factors such as the search for food resources affected by seasonal changes, avoidance of competition, and the natural dispersal behavior typical of juvenile eagles.
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“The sightings again of the Philippine Eagle in Mt. Sinaka reaffirm the ecological significance of this critical habitat and underscore the continuing obligation of the DENR-12 to enforce Republic Act No. 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act,” Alicer said.
“This event serves as tangible evidence that our collaborative conservation initiatives with local communities and partner institutions are yielding positive outcomes for the country’s flagship species and its fragile forest ecosystem,” he added.
Despite its size, Mt. Sinaka in Arakan, Cotabato provides suitable nesting grounds, food sources, and shelter for a breeding pair of Philippine eagles and other threatened wildlife.
The declaration of Mt. Sinaka as a critical habitat in 2020 has opened opportunities for funding and resource allocation to support research, conservation programs, and sustainable management practices vital for the survival of the Philippine eagle and other endangered species in the area.
The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) said Mt. Sinaka, a key biodiversity area in Cotabato province, is considered the smallest home of Philippine eagles in the wild, yet serves as a sanctuary for its resident eagles.
“This is made possible by the efforts of our partner forest guards and the Arakan local government unit. We salute our conservation partners as they continue to restore and protect Mt. Sinaka as a ‘critical habitat,’ not only for Philippine eagles but also for other wildlife,” the PEF added.
About 20 days earlier, from October 15 to 17, environmentalists from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Matalam, Cotabato, reported sightings of another adult Philippine eagle during monitoring and site assessment in Magpet, Cotabato.
DENR-Region 12 said the eagle was spotted near the forest edges of Barangays Sallab, Imamaling, and Don Panaca within the Mt. Mahuson range.
“The eagle was observed flying along the forest boundaries, which may indicate it is establishing a territory—an essential step in its breeding behavior,” DENR-12 said in a statement.
The agency added that the same eagle had been documented in the area on October 2, 2024, amid concerns over poaching threats.
Other raptors sighted during the assessment included the Philippine serpent eagle, brahminy kite, Philippine honey buzzard, and the critically endangered Philippine hawk-eagle.
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Environmentalists said the reappearance of the Philippine eagle underscores the crucial role of Mt. Mahuson in the survival of the country’s threatened raptors.
“It highlights the urgent need for stronger protection efforts and collaborative conservation work involving the local community, barangay and municipal governments, and environmental groups to safeguard these rare species and their natural habitat,” they said.
The Philippine eagle, the country’s national bird and one of the world’s largest forest raptors, remains critically endangered under both the Department Administrative Order (DAO 2019-09) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
DENR-12 noted that the species, endemic to the Philippines, has faced threats from deforestation, hunting, and habitat loss for nearly three decades. /mcm
