“Malaya goes to UP Los Baños” is an education campaign that’s made specifically for university students. It is part of the “AgiLaya: Lasting Freedom for the Philippine Eagle” campaign that addresses the threats to critically endangered species such as hunting and trapping, the emergence of infectious diseases, and deforestation. On Philippine Eagle Week 2023, the PEF visits universities in the NCR and Mega Manila area, including UP Los Baños to strengthen PEF’s educational campaigns outside the Davao region to call more people into action in protecting our national bird.

The Philippine Eagle Center (PEC) is the only captive breeding facility for the Philippine eagles in the entire world and is home to 8% of the global population of Philippine eagles. But over the years, changes in the landscape surrounding the center have been causing disturbance to the eagles’ breeding. There’s also the looming threat of Avian flu because of the increasing number of poultry farms near the Center. In March 2023, Philippine eagle Sinabadan was found with several gunshot wounds that had to be surgically removed; she was retrieved and brought to the PEC for rehabilitation. It is evident that threats that can wreak havoc on PEF’s decade-long conservation efforts in saving the Philippine eagles persist and new ones emerge. The breeding eagles must be moved to a safer and less disturbed habitat to address that. Through the AgiLaya campaign, these issues are brought front and center with the goal of urging the public to take action. It could be through donating, volunteering, or helping the PEF raise awareness.

On the afternoon of June 9, 2023, about 80 students, faculty, non-teaching staff, and community members within and outside UPLB Campus came over to the SESAM Academic Quadrangle to take part in the education campaign. Dr. Evaristo Niño Cando III, SESAM Assistant Professor warmly welcomed the guests and participants of the event, and delivered a message on behalf of SESAM Dean, Dr. Rico C. Ancog, emphasizing that “the success of this campaign must not be about the holding of one event after another but on the actual number of Philippine Eagle that are in the wild today and in the future”.

Attendees’ knowledge of the Philippine eagle was tested at the beginning of the program through a game where they were asked 10 questions about our national bird. After which, was a screening of the film “To Save Our Eagle” which is a shortened version of the award-winning documentary “Bird of Prey (2018)”. In closing, the audience was challenged to make a short statement on their social media accounts to call their friends and family to action in saving the Philippine eagle from its threats.

“One of the challenges in addressing the threats to our Philippine eagles is rampant misinformation. This campaign helps equip our audiences with updated and accurate knowledge about what’s happening to bring out a deeper understanding of the conservation mission and how they could take part in conserving the environment and wildlife”, capped Carla Salvacion, PEF Conservation Education Administrator.

“Malaya Goes to UPLB” was organized together with the UPLB Environmental Science Society, and the Continuing Education and Training Division (CETD) of the UPLB School of Environmental Science and Management. 

The AgiLaya Campaign on Philippine Eagle Week was sponsored by FDC Utilities Inc., San Roque Power Corporation, Seda Vertis North, Seda BGC, Seda Nuvali, Seda Residences Makati, and the Provincial Government of Apayao, together with Boysen and Enchanted Kingdom, and with the support of Aguila Auto Glass. (Paul Christian Toyor and Jessa O. Aquino)