TUGUEGARAO, Cagayan – The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), in partnership with the provincial government of Apayao, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), has brought the “Wildlife is Here” exhibition to Luzon for the first time, running from March 4 to 8, 2025, at Robinsons Mall Tuguegarao.
The exhibition showcases Apayao’s diverse wildlife. It also emphasizes Apayao’s role as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the importance of conservation and sustainable development.
Among the exhibits are rare and endemic species of birds, beetles, rats, and other species found in its forests and waterways, many of them rarely seen, often unheard of, yet important to the province’s ecosystem.
On March 4, a lecture series featured discussions on Apayao’s Biosphere Reserve status, the Lapat indigenous conservation system, the Philippine Eagles of Apayao, and the rise of ecotourism. Speakers in the said lecture series are UNESCO Philippine National Commission Deputy Secretary General Lindsay Barrientos, Dorothy Joy Cayabas of DENR-Cordillera, Dr. Jayson Ibañez of PEF, Rebecca Tamaken-Mamba of the Apayao Provincial Tourism Officer).
Further, on March 7, film screenings of “To Save Our Eagles” and “Bantay Bukid” will be held at Megaworld Cinema, Robinsons Tuguegarao, followed by Learn with Malaya Goes North on March 8.
With Apayao’s natural and cultural legacy taking center stage, the event will continue to inspire conversations on conservation and the protection of one of the country’s last ecological frontiers. By Apayao PIO
