THE SARANGANI provincial government is pushing for the declaration of Mt. Busa as a protected landscape as another Philippine eagle was rescued in the area over the weekend. In a press statement, Ryan Jay R. Ramos, chief of staff of Sarangani Rep. Rogelio D. Pacquiao, said their office has been discussing with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to declare the “mountain range as a protected landscape” under the Expanded National Protected Areas System law to protect the eagle and their habitat. Mt. Busa covers about 114,000 hectares, straddling the towns of Kiamba, Maitum and Maasim. Last Friday, a family in Lumatil, Maasim rescued a female Philippine Eagle weighing 5.185 kilograms from the shoreline of the village. The bird was immediately turned over to the Philippine Eagle Foundation based in Davao City for observation. The DENR-Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN) office said the eagle was “found weak and exhausted.” In January 2017, another eagle was rescued at another part of the mountain range which has already been declared as a key biodiversity area. — Carmelito Q. Francisco

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