Kaliwa River Forest and Wildlife Sanctuary proposal gets boost

Children from the Dumagat tribe navigate the Kaliwa River in Sitio Quiborosa, Barangay Magsaysay, Infanta, Quezon. (INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Thursday said it supports the proposal to turn the Kaliwa River Forest Reserve into a sanctuary.

Rizal 2nd Dist. Rep. Emigdio “Dino” P. Tanjuatco III earlier filed a bill to establish the Kaliwa River Forest and Wildlife Sanctuary (KRFWS).

“Once legislated, fund support for the management of the KRFWS is assured and stringent regulations will be implemented,” DENR-Calabarzon Regional Director Nilo Tamoria said in a statement.

The Kaliwa River Forest Reserve is named after its geographic location being on the left side of watersheds situated in Luzon’s northeastern seaboard and part of the Sierra Madre Mountain range.

The proposed KRFWS is under the jurisdiction of the municipalities of Tanay, Rizal and General Nakar, Quezon with a total area of 31,883 hectares. 

Of the said area, there are 12,147 hectares of remaining forest with approximately 172 species of plants, 39 of which are endemic and 17 are classified as threatened. 

Some species that can be found in the area are Rafflesia (R. Philippinensis and R. Lagascae), and Tayabak or Jade Vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys).

The area is also known to be the home of various endangered wildlife species such as the Northern Philippine Hawk-eagle (Nisaetus philippensis), Philippine Brown Deer (Rusa marianna), Philippine Warty Pig (Sus philippensis), Northern Rufous Hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax) among others.

It is also considered to be the home of the critically endangered Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), a species endemic to the Philippines. (with Meralyn Melitante, Inquirer.net trainee)

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