Consultative Conference on Candaba Swamp Held

Mayor Pelayo addresses the conference.

Hosted by the DENR's Manila Bay Environmental Management Project, a consultative conference was held at the Air Quality Training Center. Some 50 participants from government agencies, schools and non-government organizations attended the day-long activity. It was the aim of the conference to gather opinions and suggestions on Candaba Swamp.

The conference synthesizes all inputs.

It was the concensus of the conference that Candaba Swamp is worth conserving. Another meeting is being set to take up concrete plans and proposals to protect and conserve the Candaba Swamp and its diverse wildlife.

Candaba Celebrates World Wetlands Day

Mayor Pelayo joins students sweep streets.

Led by Mayor Jerry Pelayo, municipal employees, students, teachers and barangay officials swept streets and cleaned canals of debris to emphasize the importance of clean environment to conserve the Candaba Swamp. This is to celebrate World Wetlands Day for the first time in Candaba last February 2, 2005.

Governor Mark Lapid takes a look at the wild ducks.

The municipal employees were also brought to the Candaba Wildlife Reserve in Sitio Simang, Barangay Visal San Pablo, where they enjoyed birdwatching for the first time. Governor Mark Lapid was among those who enjoyed the sight of wild birds playing in the swamp.

Mayor Pelayo sweeps with Vice Mayor Dan Gallardo.

Mayor Pelayo announced that Candaba will be celebrating World Wetlands Day every year and will plan more exciting and worthwhile activities next time. Governor Lapid wanted the activity part of the yearly provincial program for tourism. Boat racing and street dancing in bird costume are some of the activities being considered.

The Manila Bay Environmental Management Project-DENR and Partnership in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia also joined the celebration in Candaba.

Birds Flock by the Thousands in Mayor's Mango Grove!

Egrets arrive in Mayor's orchard.

Unknown to many it is not only in Sitio Simang in the middle of the Candaba Swamp that migratory birds have started to roost by the thousands.

Egrets roosting on mango trees.

Right in the Poblacion of the town a huge mixed flock of egrets has arrived and perched on the mango trees owned by Mayor Jerry Pelayo. According to the mayor this is the second wintering season that they came. The first was November of 2003.

This only shows that planting trees is one way of supporting the migratory birds. The egrets and the herons are known to roost and nest on top of trees.

Egrets leaving after break of dawn.

It has been observed that these wild birds have been going to certain directions not only in Candaba but in nearby municipalities as well just before sunset apparently to find trees where they can spend the night. This is why the conservation and protection effort for these birds must be done by all.

Even the highly urbanized Valenzuela became host to these migrants. A five-hectare lot with trees was made a nesting place by herons. This should be good news for all of us. It means that our country is not that hopeless in terms of environmental conditions.

Birds of Candaba hit front pages!

Protecting the migratory birds that come yearly to the Candaba marsh is part of the effort to strike a balance between the people's needs and the need to conserve the swamp for future generations.

The municipality of Candaba actively participated in the Asian Waterbird Census 2005. It hosted representatives of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the DENR, Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, Haribon Foundation, Conserve Candaba Swamp Foundation, Candaba Swamp Migratory Birds and Wildlife Foundation Inc., Kaakbay sa Kalikasan and other enthusiasts on January 15-16, 2005 for that purpose.

Based on the census, some 35 species of waterbirds were seen totalling some 10,200 individuals within a 200 hectare census area. Very significant was the large number of Philippine ducks sighted together with three more species of wild ducks: garganey, northern shoveler and northern pintail. The wild ducks alone totalled more than 3,000 within the census area. Tim Fisher, an authority on Philippine birds identified another species of waterbird during the census that has not been seen in the Candaba swamp for the last ten years - the purple gallinule. Download Census Report for 2005 and see photos of the Census in 2006. See how numerous the birds are: 1. Wild Ducks 2. Unidentified flock)

Major newspapers in the Philippines carried large colored photos and stories of the birds of Candaba the day after the census, some even occupying large portions of their front pages : Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Times, Manila Standard, Today, Inquirer Libre, People's Tonight, Abante. In the evening major TV networks carried related stories: ABC-5. ABS-CBN, GMA-7. Top TV shows featured the birds: Magandang Gabi Bayan, Jessica Soho Report and Emergency.

Now the people of Candaba appreciate better the value of protecting wildlife and conserving natural resources. They are starting to do their part. Recently a grass owl was recovered with a gunshot wound and it was turned over to Mayor Pelayo so it can be saved. It is now being treated and nursed so it could recover fully. Opinion: "Save the Birds, Save the Country."