Birds will fly over Antique on Earth Day
Antique is identified as one of the important bird areas in the Philippines, so on April 23, 2009, a swarm of different birds depicted on kites will fly over the skies of Antique, Panay islands in a Bird Kite Flying Contest.
The contest is in line with the 2009 Binirayan Festival and the 9th anniversary celebration of the Sibalom Natural Park as well as the celebration of Earth Day. The annual Bird Kite Flying contest is an information dissemination strategy being done by the province of Antique in coordination with the Sibalom Protected Areas Management Board (PAMB) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to heighten the awareness of the public on the importance of birds.
Birds serve as the biological indicators of our forest ecosystems. They are the conservationist of the forest considering that they are responsible for dispersing the seeds of trees to other areas and pollinate our crops through their waste.
The Philippines is the home of rare and endangered bird species and ranks number three in the whole world. The Sibalom Natural Park in Sibalom and the Panay Peninsula bordering the province of Antique from Aklan and Capiz houses the most endangered bird species known as hornbill or “kalaw” in dialect.
The yearly Bird Flying Contest is a manifestation of the love of Antiqueños for their environment and the wildlife that exists in their areas. Various sectors of the communities are invited to join this contest. The details and mechanics of the contests could be obtained from the provincial office of Antique. The entries will be part of the exhibits that are being conducted during the Binirayan Festival. (PENRO Antique)