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Panay peninsula with location of the  threatened lowland rainforest remnants,  one focus of the PESCP's conservation efforts

History and work of the Philippine Endemic Species Conservation Project (PESCP)

The PESCP, founded by Professor Curio, started its work on Panay in 1996 by site investigations in the Central Panay Mountains. At various locations, efforts were made to establish research facilities from which studies on the area's fauna and flora could be conducted. Faunistic and floristic surveys were conducted during this time, but the logistics of performing these tasks in Central Panay proved beyond the means of the project at that time, and so with the discovery of significant stands of low-elevation rain forest in the NW Panay peninsula, to include a variety of endangered, endemic species of plants and animals, the PESCP relocated its operation to this area.

PESCP soon initiated a campaign focusing on the overall conservation of the natural resource base on the peninsula, while maintaining interest, linkages, and ambitions in Central Panay. The Frankfurt Zoological Society, that is backing the project actitivities from its inception,  is primarily interested in preserving the highly endangered Writhed-billed Hornbill (Aceros waldeni; local names: dulungan, kalaw) and its  habitat. With the remnant population of this species and other endangered wildlife living in the Central Panay Mountain Range (CPMR), the emphasis of conservation work shifted to this area from 2000 on. Prior to that, the field work had  quickly become community-based, aiming at the precautionary development of the up-land communities.

In. March 2005, an NGO ‘Philippine Association for Conservation and Development, Inc.’ (PhilConserve) was erected that since then became the operational platform running PESCP.
 

Coworkers
 

PESCP station staff, caretakers and porters. Photo: Sherwin Hembra

Project Manager is Ms. Maria Theresa Ibabao (contact). Mr. Thomas Kuenzel (contact) is the Technical Consultant and the Environmental Program Coordinator of Aklan State University, PESCP’s partner institution. Founder and Scientific Adviser of the project is Prof. E. Curio  (contact, more information), Conservation Biology Unit, Ruhr-University Bochum. The PESCP employs two full time facilitators/educators (Alexander Alabado, Honorio ‘Henry’ Jamandron). Dr. Enrique Sanchez is a Veterinarian Consultant overseeing the health care aspects of PESCP’s endangered species rehabilitation program. Other personnel assisting the PESCP include the project forester John Espiritu, and the project´s Liaison and Security Officer Geylord Loyola. Benjamin Tacud serves as an extremely gifted field assistant and Research Station Officer whose work is flanked by that of a field research assistant. Nestor Bagac, a long time supporter of the project, is taking care of our captive birds, together with Eduardo Geronimo, Junmar Jamangal and Macario Melchor. Given the availability of funds, Ms. Ibabao coordinates the project’s forest protection and wildlife program, executed by 18 forest rangers in the NW Panay Peninsula and the Central Panay Mountain Range who are patrolling the forests and are assisting in interventions with hunters and loggers. They are helped by a large number of community conservationists, ‘Tanods’ (community police) and nest guards supplying them with vital updates on illegal activities, livelihood development and related matters in each barangay the PESCP is working in. Under optimal conditions, we would employ more people at the grass roots for greater duration..
 

Support  needed
 

Philippine Endemic Species Conservation Project   - Conservation Biology Unit, Ruhr-University Bochum

Last amendment: 10 May 2010