Communities nationwide came together for Philippine Eagle Week (PEW) 2025, celebrating the country’s iconic bird while renewing their commitment to protect it and the forests it calls home. With the theme Soaring Together: Empowering Communities, Educating Minds, and Protecting the Philippine Eagle, this year’s observance brought together local leaders, youth, Indigenous peoples, and partner organizations to push for stronger conservation action.

Led by the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), the week featured events in Luzon and Mindanao to raise awareness, educate, and inspire action.

 

 

DAVAO CITY: WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

---

The week opened at the Philippine Eagle Center (PEC) in Malagos, Davao City—home of the country’s main captive breeding and education hub. Hundreds of students, teachers, families, and local officials joined guided tours, workshops, and film screenings highlighting the eagle’s plight and the need for forest protection.

 

 

A FIRST FOR LUZON

---

For the first time, PEW was also celebrated in Luzon, following a rare eagle sighting in the Sierra Madre. In partnership with SM City Cabanatuan, PEF mounted a public event featuring student artworks inspired by the eagle. The exhibit drew crowds of families and mallgoers curious to learn about the eagle’s role in keeping forests healthy.

Mr. Gerundio Fernandez of the DENR Nueva Ecija described the eagle as a “gigantic guardian of our forests and a symbol of our heritage.” PEF Executive Director Dennis Salvador called the event “a historic moment” and urged communities in Luzon to protect remaining forests and help the eagle population recover.

➤CHECK OUT: NUEVA ECIJA TRAVEL GUIDE

 

 

COMMUNITIES AND INDIGENOUS VOICES IN DAVAO

---

Back in Davao, the three-day event at SM City Davao Annex drew Indigenous leaders, students, volunteers, and conservationists. Exhibits and talks covered eagle biology, breeding programs, and stories from the Obu Manuvu and Sumpaw Nang Magkatikadung Sang Maragusan communities, who have helped locate eagle nesting sites. Dr. Franklyn Buenaflor of DENR XI emphasized that “the eagle’s survival depends on our forests—and our forests depend on our united action.”

 

 

PARTNERSHIPS KEEP THE EAGLE SOARING

---

The Davao event was supported by Inlife Foundation, Ulticon Builders Inc., the Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corridor Project, Lakpue Drug Inc., Arellano University, BPI, FDC Utilities, and the Davao City Government. PEF’s partnership with COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises, through its Citizen COMCO movement, will further spread its conservation message.

As PEW 2025 wraps up, PEF calls on all Filipinos to keep working together to protect the Philippine eagle—and the forests that sustain us all.

Cebu Pacific became the first Philippine airline to use SAF or sustainable aviation fuel on a commercial flight from Japan—operating Flight 5J 5055 from Narita to Manila.

The airline used a 40% blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in one of their flights, resulting in a 44% decrease in carbon emissions per passenger. This achievement set a new record for the airline's SAF-powered flights.

SHEBA, a Mars, Incorporated pet food brand, is inviting you to participate in restoring coral reefs through SHEBA Hope Advocate Program. It is looking for five lucky advocates from all around the world that will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with the world-leading coral reef restoration team in Makassar, Indonesia.

One advocate will represent the Southeast Asian region. If you have snorkeling experience, passionate about ocean restoration and live in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, or Singapore, you might be the perfect candidate! Applications are open today until 2^nd June 2023 on ShebaHopeGrows.com/Hope-Reef-Advocate. 

"I am delighted that we will be bringing SHEBA Hope Advocate Program to Indonesia in 2023. There is nothing quite like seeing Hope Reef and the restoration of the surrounding reef with your very own eyes to appreciate how incredible coral reefs are. There is a breath-taking contrast between what starts out as a rubble field and the restored reef that it becomes and the enormity of the Hope Grows program. The team and I look forward to welcoming you all to Indonesia to be part of the magic!" said Philippa Mansell, Indonesia Program Lead, SHEBA.

SHEBA has sparked a global reef restoration movement when unveiling Hope Reef – its first coral reef restoration project in Makassar, Indonesia, in 2021. Hope Reef is part of SHEBA Hope Grows global campaign, created to restore the beauty in our oceans. The search for its Hope Advocate is a continuation of the successful coral restoration efforts seen in Indonesia.

Since Hope Reef began, coral growth has increased from less than 2% to over 70% and fish populations have increased by 300%. 900,000 coral fragments have been planted using 60,000 reef stars. Successfully restored 80,000 sqm of coral reef globally, the program utilizes handmade reef star structures connected underwater to form the core of the Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System. The reef stars are handmade in the local communities using locally available materials. 

Restoring coral reefs is something that Mars has been working on for the past 15 years. Through the SHEBA Hope Grows campaign, the company has committed to restoring over 185,000 sqm of coral reefs globally by 2029. The program is now active in 30 reef sites around the world in 7 countries.

►SEE: CENTURY TUNA & COMCO SEA, ICCO GLOBAL AWARDS 2023 FINALISTS