Beyond watching the Siloys

Afew weeks ago, while searching for nominees for Cebu Siloy Music Awards III, I stumbled in the internet a research paper authored by Richard Parilla of the University of San Carlos and Pauline de Guia of the University of the Philippines.

Published in the Journal of Environmental Science and Management in its December 2016 issue, it discussed the authors’ survey results on local communities where the endemic bird, black shama or siloy, are found, namely Tabunan (Cebu City), Nug-as (Alcoy), Tayagag (Argao) and Casili (Mandaue City/ Consolacion).

The findings are enlightening. The respondents coming from 193 households are “highly positive towards conserving and protecting threatened birds and their habitats” and are “willing to help and support” conservation efforts. But then the paper noted that many of the residents were not aware that the siloy is threatened, endemic cand declining.

It was also observed by the researchers that the siloy is not selective of their habitat, that is they can survive in “natural forests, mixed forests, man-made forests and/or highly disturbed forests as long as the vegetation composition is diverse.”

Parilla and de Guia recommended that government should support locals by providing them alternative livelihood sources, if not sign them up as deputy brigade. They also sought for local governments and other agencies to re-examine their focus on information, education and communication programs in promoting conservation.

And isn’t it coincidental that a program called Siloy Watch is happening today (March 30) in seven towns and one city that are under the Central Cebu Protected Landscape? Organized by the Central Visayas Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Cebu Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office and the Philippines Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc., this effort intends to determine the number of siloys, generate public awareness on the importance of biodiversity and make Cebuanos experience nature with an element of fun.

Those participating should be lauded, but then concerned agencies should have done this a long time ago, knowing the danger of losing the sweet-singing siloys in our island. Have local residents been tapped as vanguards of the siloys? If yes, that is most commendable. If not, then Siloy Watch should initiate in establishing a sustainable program that makes people in the identified areas as integral participants.