Samar town gears up for PH eagle repopulation
TACLOBAN CITY—Conservationists and local officials are intensifying efforts to bring back the Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) to the forests of Calbiga, Samar, after recent field assessments showed the town’s mountain ecosystem could support the critically endangered species once again.
The renewed push follows an exit conference on April 7 between the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) and Calbiga municipal officials, headed by Mayor Red Nacario, where results of a monthlong forest survey in Barangay Buluan were discussed.
The last recorded sighting of the national bird in Samar was in Barangay Buluan in 2014, before local populations became extinct due to habitat loss and human activities.
Conservationists describe the Philippine eagle as an “indicator species,” meaning its presence reflects the health of forest ecosystems. Protecting and restoring forest habitat not only benefits wildlife but also supports watershed protection and ecological balance that local communities depend on.
Habitat protection
Calbiga’s vast forest tracts and relatively undisturbed habitats make it a promising candidate for future repopulation programs, which may include habitat protection, reforestation, and community-based stewardship.
Local officials have pledged support for these initiatives as part of broader conservation efforts.
Calbiga has around 15,000 hectares of remaining forest cover, according to a 2020 report by Global Forest Watch. This forest is part of the Samar Island Natural Park.
Efforts in Leyte
One of its lush forests is located in Barangay Buluan, a mountainous village about 16 kilometers from the town center with a population of just over 700 residents.
Buluan village chief Joel Abina said they are pleased that efforts are now under way to repopulate their barangay with raptors.
The renewed focus on Calbiga comes amid ongoing Philippine eagle reintroduction efforts in neighboring Leyte province, where multiple release programs are under way to reestablish viable populations of the critically endangered raptor.
In Burauen, Leyte, the PEF, in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and conservation funders, has been releasing rehabilitated Philippine eagles into suitable forest habitats as part of the Philippine Eagle Species Reintroduction Program.
Reintroduction
In May 2025, eagles “Sinabadan” and “Kalatungan I” were released in the forests of Barangay Kagbana to help restore the species’ presence after decades of absence in Leyte due to habitat devastation by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) and the impact of human activities.
Earlier phases of the reintroduction initiative included the release of eagles “Carlito” and “Uswag” into the Anonang Lobi forests of Burauen, marking significant milestones in the campaign to rebuild eagle populations on the island.
Eagle sightings in the deep forests of Burauen were also common before the onslaught of Yolanda in 2013.
The Philippine eagle is one of the rarest raptors in the world historically found in the forests of Samar, Leyte, Luzon and Mindanao. Less than 400 pairs are found in the wild, according to conservation groups.
