A Tamaraw in captivity in Mindoro.

Far Eastern University’s “Save the Tamaraw Project” was recently awarded a special citation by the Management Association of the Philippines.

The award was given on July 8, 2009 during the awards ceremony for the MAP CSR Leadership Challenge at the Intercontinental Manila. The ceremony recognized companies with established programs that support Corporate Social Responsibility.

The Special Citation recognizes the contribution of the University in helping the conservation and protection efforts to save the Tamaraw and its environment. It started in 2005 as the FEU “Tamaraws Save the Tamaraws”, an undertaking of the Tamaraw Volunteers (TAMVOL), the university student arm of the Bisig Tamaraw which helps the university in its various outreach programs.

Activities of the Save the Tamaraw Project are coordinated by the university’s Office of Student Affairs and Community Services. The main goals of the program are to raise awareness and concern and involve the whole community in the preservation of the tamaraws and to secure their continuous and stable existence in Mindoro.

“We thank the Management Association of the Philippines for the citation. It will certainly fuel our faith in the cause as it validates the commitment of the entire FEU community in saving a global treasure that is the tamaraw,” said Dr. Lydia B. Echauz, FEU Chairman.

Other than the annual tamaraw count in which FEU participates in, the university has conducted several projects in support of the program’s goals. It coordinates with the DENR and officials of Mindoro on projects for the local people. It has undertaken studies such as an ecological study of the tamaraw’s habitat which aims to help in the development of a program to improve vegetation in the area.

As part of their ecological and environmental studies, FEU faculty and students also analyzed how the Mangyans planted, collected, processed, and used plants.

Recognizing the important relationship between the indigenous Mangyans, the tamaraws, and their habitats, FEU also works with several Mangyan communities to help improve the latter’s livelihood and learning opportunities.