Press Releases

Davaos Malagos Watershed and the life it gives and protects 11The Malagos Watershed Reservation in Davao City is a 235.34-hectare protected land area that is one of the proclaimed (PP 612 dtd. Aug 1933) initial components of the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992 as amended by the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) Act of 2018.

It is a land surface in South Davao that drains rainfall into creeks, streams and rivers.

With its physical features, the said watershed is recognized for possessing outstanding ecosystem and highly significant biodiversity. In fact, it is Davao Cityโ€™s source of water, the ex situ habitat of the Philippine Eagle and moreover supports two of the endemic bat species in the Philippines- the Large Flying Foxes (๐‘ƒ๐‘ก๐‘’๐‘Ÿ๐‘œ๐‘๐‘ข๐‘  ๐‘ฃ๐‘Ž๐‘š๐‘๐‘ฆ๐‘Ÿ๐‘ข๐‘ ) and the fruit-eating megabat- the Golden-Crowned Flying Foxes (๐ด๐‘๐‘’๐‘Ÿ๐‘œ๐‘‘๐‘œ๐‘› ๐‘—๐‘ข๐‘๐‘Ž๐‘ก๐‘ข๐‘ ). The latter is one of the worldโ€™s largest bats as it reaches 5 feet 6 inches long and a weight of up to 2.6 pounds, accordingly.

As prescribed by the DENRโ€™s National List of Threatened Philippine Fauna and Their Categories, the said volant mammals are classified as threatened species or those that beats the menace of adverse factors such as habitat destruction or over collection.

According to the joint records of DENR-XIโ€™s Protected Area Management and Biodiversity Conservation Section, the CENRO Davao and the Phillippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), the Malagos Watershed Reservation is the dwelling place of over 90 bird species, 8 species of bats/volant including Large Flying Foxes and Golden-Crowned Flying Foxes, 6 species of non-volant mammals such as Phil. Brown Deer and Phil. Tarsier, 15 species of amphibians including the Mindanao Fanged and Horned Frog, 31 species of reptiles, 54 species of butterflies which include the threatened Golden Birdwing and 32 species of dragonflies.

The said watershed is also surrounded with lush trees and various plants including the naturally occurring or native ones such as Tibig (๐น๐‘–๐‘๐‘ข๐‘  ๐‘›๐‘œ๐‘ก๐‘Ž) and Jade vines (๐‘†๐‘ก๐‘Ÿ๐‘œ๐‘›๐‘”๐‘ฆ๐‘™๐‘œ๐‘‘๐‘’๐‘› ๐‘š๐‘Ž๐‘๐‘Ÿ๐‘œ๐‘๐‘œ๐‘ก๐‘Ÿ๐‘ฆ๐‘ ) as well as the Lanipau (๐‘‡๐‘’๐‘Ÿ๐‘š๐‘–๐‘›๐‘Ž๐‘™๐‘–๐‘Ž ๐‘๐‘œ๐‘๐‘’๐‘™๐‘Ž๐‘›๐‘‘๐‘–๐‘–) which one of the primary roosting trees of the flying foxes.

Additionally, the Malagos Watershed Reservation is actively supervised by the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), a multi-sectoral body which provides guidance and approves policies to effectively operate and manage the area in coordination with the Protected Area Superintendent (PASu).

2 24 DENR and DOT Diving Activity in Mabini 1Divers from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources headed by Regional Executive Director Bagani Fidel A. Evasco together with the team from the Department of Tourism Regional2 24 DENR and DOT Diving Activity in Mabini 2 Director Tanya Rabat Tan recently conducted a two-day site validation activity in Kopiat Island and other coral sites in Mabini, Davao de Oro. The team also visited and validated some of DENR-XIโ€™s coral rehabilitation sites within the Mabini Protected Landscape and Seascape (MPLS).

The activity aims to promote sustainable travel that will benefit local communities while minimizing environmental impact and, at the same time, educate and encourage travelers and divers to play their part in protecting the environment for future generations.

With DENR and DOT are the Philippine Commission for Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD) led by Executive Director Marco Angelo Ancheta, PCSSD Commissioner Dr. Fred Medina, Philippine Navy Naval Special Operations Unit (NAVSOU) 7 Lt. Arnold B Duque PN, Davao Gulf Divers headed by Iรฑigo Taojo, Philippine Coast Guard, the Provincial Local Government Unit of Davao de Oro - Provincial Tourism Office Davao de Oro headed by Prescila Decena, the Municipality of Mabini, and Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation.

2 17 Eastern Diamond backed RattlesnakeThis pertains to the post circulating online that supposedly warns the public against the โ€œ๐„๐š๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ง ๐ƒ๐ข๐š๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐-๐›๐š๐œ๐ค๐ž๐ ๐‘๐š๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ž๐ฌ๐ง๐š๐ค๐ž ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ƒ๐š๐ฏ๐š๐จ ๐‚๐ข๐ญ๐ฒโ€.

Upon reviewing, it appears that the post was also reposted and reshared to several groups and pages across the social media platform. Content of post is the same except that the name of place, area or city has been revised.

The DENR XI would like to inform the Dabawenyos that the said Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnake ๐ƒ๐Ž๐„๐’ ๐๐Ž๐“ ๐„๐—๐ˆ๐’๐“ in the city and in the country. Further, it is also ๐๐Ž๐“ ๐‘๐„๐†๐ˆ๐’๐“๐„๐‘๐„๐ƒ in the office as legally imported wildlife.

It is indeed highly venomous species of rattlesnakes but it can only be found in the areas of North America.

Taking the facts into consideration, this office determines the post as โ€œfalse, scam and deceptiveโ€.

Although, should there be presence of serpents or any animal species within your vicinity, you may report it through our hotline numbers- 0967-354-8827 and/or 0947-611-6083. You may also ask for help from the nearest Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) or to your barangay personnel.

If it otherwise poses or puts oneโ€™s life into imminent danger, one may do what is needed to protect his or herself. Safety should always come first.

2 16 2023 New Species include 2 from MindanaoWeโ€™re still on the 2nd month of the year but our scientists have already revealed a few of the newly-described wildlife species!

With the perpetual efforts of researchers to unearth this planetโ€™s species, which is quite infinite, five (5) of them have been introduced recently as new to science.

Our new fellas include a snail-eating snake (๐‘†๐‘–๐‘๐‘œ๐‘› ๐‘–๐‘Ÿ๐‘š๐‘’๐‘™๐‘–๐‘›๐‘‘๐‘–๐‘๐‘Ž๐‘๐‘Ÿ๐‘–๐‘œ๐‘Ž๐‘’) in Colombia and Panama, a stream tree-frog (๐ป๐‘ฆ๐‘™๐‘œ๐‘ ๐‘๐‘–๐‘Ÿ๐‘ก๐‘ข๐‘  ๐‘ก๐‘œ๐‘™๐‘˜๐‘–๐‘’๐‘›๐‘–) in Ecuador, a Bent-toed gecko (๐ถ๐‘ฆ๐‘Ÿ๐‘ก๐‘œ๐‘‘๐‘Ž๐‘๐‘ก๐‘ฆ๐‘™๐‘ข๐‘  ๐‘ ๐‘Ž๐‘›๐‘ก๐‘Ž๐‘›๐‘Ž) in Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and Gymnures (๐‘ƒ๐‘œ๐‘‘๐‘œ๐‘”๐‘ฆ๐‘š๐‘›๐‘ข๐‘Ÿ๐‘Ž ๐‘–๐‘›๐‘ก๐‘’๐‘Ÿ๐‘š๐‘’๐‘‘๐‘–๐‘Ž ๐‘Ž๐‘›๐‘‘ ๐‘ƒ. ๐‘š๐‘–๐‘›๐‘–๐‘š๐‘Ž) from the home of unique species- Philippines!

The gymnures ๐‘ƒ๐‘œ๐‘‘๐‘œ๐‘”๐‘ฆ๐‘š๐‘›๐‘ข๐‘Ÿ๐‘Ž ๐‘–๐‘›๐‘ก๐‘’๐‘Ÿ๐‘š๐‘’๐‘‘๐‘–๐‘Ž which are members of Podogymnura genus were discovered in the peak of Mt. Hamiguitan in Davao Oriental and Mt. Kampalili in Davao de Oro. Report says that both places have not been surveyed for mammals before.

The said species are shrew-like due to its golden-brown streaks in its fur and pointed nose but are actually gymnures, likewise called as hairy hedgehogs or moonrats.

๐‘ƒ. ๐‘š๐‘–๐‘›๐‘–๐‘š๐‘Ž, on the other hand which was previously considered as subspecies of the P. truei but was later determined as distinct, thus proclaimed as a new species. This soft-furred and smallest species of Podogymnura was found in Mt. Kitanglad in Bukidnon.

In consonance with the words of the scientists, our country is "highly distinct" in the fact that each mountain in it has its own unique and even endemic species.

โ€œ...One has several species that occur nowhere else - not even on adjacent mountain ranges on the same island,โ€ says co-author Laurence Heanery, Negaunee Curator of Mammals at the Field Museum in Chicago.

โ€œIf you don't go look, you don't know what is there.โ€ he added.

Indeed, Sir. Now letโ€™s do our part by keeping these mountains a safe place for them.

Please refer to this article for further reading: https://tinyurl.com/2023-SPECIES

Photo: ๐‘ƒ. ๐‘–๐‘›๐‘ก๐‘’๐‘Ÿ๐‘š๐‘’๐‘‘๐‘–๐‘Ž
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2 6 DENR XI Employees harness public services skills 2As the DENR XI continually pursues excellent quality of government service, its employees undergo a series of learning events that elaborates on the salient management services functions. It also targets to produce high performing employees by deepening their knowledge and responsibilities as public servants and environmental stewards.

Employees of Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) of Davao Oriental were the participants for the pilot leg of said activity which occurred in January 30-31, 2023. The significant event will also be conducted in other provinces and is set to be completed within the month of February.

Through the activityโ€™s notable resource speakers, the participants will be refreshed about the agencyโ€™s mandate, the DENR Secretaryโ€™s Priority Thrusts along with other matters abounding Planning and Management, Administrative, Finance and Legal services.

The Learning Event on Salient Management Services Functions is a noteworthy activity initiated by the DENR XIโ€™s Management Office through the Assistant Regional Executive Director for Management Services โ€“ Atty. Ma. Mercedes V. Dumagan, convoyed by division and section chiefs, respectively.