DAVAO CITY — Every patrol through the forests of Mt. Apo is more than a routine mission—it is a commitment to protect a mountain that sustains wildlife, water sources, and the cultural heritage of Indigenous communities.
That commitment grew stronger on Friday, July 11, as 25 more Bantay Bukid from the unified Bagobo Tagabawa tribe took their oath as volunteer forest guards, bringing to 50 the number of Indigenous protectors helping safeguard Mt. Apo National Park (MANP).
Their deputation by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) XI, through the Mt. Apo National Park Protected Area Management Office, in partnership with the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), underscores the growing recognition that the country’s most effective forest guardians are often the people who have lived closest to the land for generations.
For the Bagobo Tagabawa, protecting Mt. Apo is not simply an environmental task—it is a responsibility deeply rooted in their ancestral stewardship.
The newly deputized Bantay Bukid will patrol forest trails, monitor wildlife, document the condition of the park’s flora and fauna, assist in biodiversity surveys, and help stop illegal logging, wildlife hunting, and other destructive activities that threaten one of the country’s most important protected landscapes.
Their work is also critical to the survival of the critically endangered Philippine Eagle.
Dr. Jayson Ibañez, Philippine Eagle Foundation director for operations, said all ten known Philippine Eagle nesting territories within the Mt. Apo Key Biodiversity Area are found inside Indigenous ancestral domains, making local communities indispensable partners in conservation.
He said protecting the eagle has already become part of the tribe’s Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan, strengthening community ownership of biodiversity conservation.
The volunteers have also been trained to install camera traps that help scientists monitor wildlife populations and determine whether intensified forest patrols are increasing the availability of prey species for the Philippine Eagle.
Their presence comes at a crucial time.
Records from the Philippine Eagle Foundation show that 20 Philippine Eagles were rescued in 2020—the highest number in the organization’s history. Many had been trapped or shot, while most of those rescued were still juvenile birds that should have been growing safely in the wild.
For Mt. Apo National Park Protected Area Superintendent Officer-in-Charge Clint Michael Cleofe, every eagle protected represents an entire forest kept alive.
He emphasized that conserving the Philippine Eagle also means preserving the forests that supply clean water, regulate the climate, protect biodiversity, and support the livelihoods of surrounding communities.
The newly deputized forest guards will be assigned to Barangay Sibulan and nearby forest areas in Davao City’s Toril District. In recognition of their contribution, they will receive compensation funded through revenues generated by Mt. Apo National Park, allowing conservation efforts to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for Indigenous communities.
The initiative also strengthens Mt. Apo’s bid to become a UNESCO Global Geopark, where community participation is a key criterion in evaluating protected landscapes. Active Indigenous forest patrols demonstrate that conservation is not driven by government agencies alone but by communities who have long considered the mountain their home.
As the DENR works toward its goal of deploying one forest ranger for every 1,000 to 2,000 hectares of protected land, the expanding Bantay Bukid program shows that safeguarding forests is most effective when local communities are trusted as partners.
For these Indigenous volunteers, every trail they patrol, every illegal activity they prevent, and every eagle they help protect is an investment in the future of Mt. Apo—a reminder that the strongest defense of the forest begins with the people who know and cherish it best.
