MALAYBALAY CITY – Leaders of the seven tribes of Bukidnon and local officials here recently signed a commitment to support efforts to conserve the endangered Philippine eagle across the province.

The covenant, which is a result of a series of consultations and workshops spearheaded by Hineleban Foundation, Inc. (HFI) with Unifrutti, a major benefactor and the Philippine Eagle Foundation, was originally signed last October 12.

The signatories of the covenant reiterated their commitment to eagle conservation in a special ceremony held on October 29 in this city to coincide with the release of two Philippine eagles at Mount Kitanglad that same day.

“There is no way to tell if the eagles we released will stay in the vicinity of the release site, or move to the municipality to the left, or the one behind. This covenant helps assure us that wherever we release the eagles, there is a blanket of protection over them provided by Bukidnon’s own indigenous peoples,” said Philippine Eagle Foundation executive director Dennis Salvador.

“That blanket of protection extends to all Philippine eagles that live in Bukidnon,” he added.

Bukidnon is host to the Tigwahanon, Bukidnon, Umayamnon, Talaandig, Higaonon, Manobo and Matigsalug tribes.

With tribal leaders’ committing the whole community to this covenant, conservationists are hopeful that the eagle population will thrive anywhere and everywhere in the province.

The covenant was further strengthened by the signatures of: Provincial leaders.