TINOLA: The plight of KAGSABUA

By now you must have heard about KAGSABUA (pictured left), the Philippine eagle released by the Philippine Eagle Foundation into the Mount Kitanglad Natural Park some four months ago, following treatment for a gunshot wound which the bird had attained in 2006. Upon its release, the blue-eyed eagle was the first to be fitted with a radio transmitter to monitor its activities in the wild. 

By now you must have also heard that the gadget attached to the eagle's body had stopped transmitting in July 8, and was found on July 10 buried in the bank of a creek in the park. Meters away were the eagle's severed feet.

A 22-year old vegetable farmer recently confessed to shooting the endangered bird with his air gun, thinking that it was a hawk. He chopped off its two feet, burned its feathers, brought home the carcass and prepared tinola for his friends. 

This is so sad.

There are only about 800 of these giant birds remaining in the Philippines, where deforestation and even poaching threaten the monkey-eating eagle's existence.

After the vegetable farmer had confessed to killing KAGSABUA, he was handed over by park officials to Higaonon tribal leaders, to be dealt with according to the tribe's justice system. Under Philippine law, those found guilty of killing endangered species can face up to 12 years in prison. It is said that the among members of the Higaonon tribe, offenders are made to atone for wrongdoings by offering a pig or a chicken and coins.

And why was the suspect placed by park officials under the custody of the tribe leaders? To maintain healthy relations with the community--after all, the tribes folk have been the park's partner in its efforts to conserve the Philippine eagle.

I imagine that members of the Philippine Eagle Foundation are outraged. It was they who cared for KAGSABUA--nursed him, released him into the park, and tracked his movements there. But now, that eagle has been ingested by a vegetable farmer and his friends.

The recent events follow another in 2004 when the first eagle hatched in captivity by artificial insemination was released, only to die a year later when it perched on an electrical post and was electrocuted.

Awit Sa Panginoon Song book

Members of the Bukas Palad Online Community are set to launch soon their collection of liturgical and inspirational music via their songbook, AWIT SA PANGINOON.

The book puts together the works of talented musicians, themselves members of various choirs, who met online at www.bukaspalad.com and collaborated to complete this project without the benefit of face-to-face meetings.

Do await details on the release of their songbook. The materials within are certain to help enrich the celebration of the Eucharist if not our personal prayer lives.

What I hate most about gas price increases

I have come to terms with the fact that gas prices will never be the way they were when I started to drive to work. Heck, back then, P500 could last me a week and slightly more.  Today, P2000 can't even hack it.

But what pains me more? Driving home and running on empty, pulling over at the nearest gas station, rolling down my window, and being greeted by the gas attendant with, "V-Power, full tank sir?"

To my mind, this is pure mockery, and I am not amused.  I am tempted to drive away except that I am out of gas.  Instead, I meekly respond, "P200, Super Unleaded."  I wish gas attendants could be more sympathetic about the gas price situation and not be so interested in making a big sale.  But I guess this a business.  

In fairness to Shell, though I have used the company as an example, I have experienced the same in the 2 other companies that comprise the Big Three.  And in fairness to Bobby Kanapi, Shell spokesperson, he has often been quoted encouraging motorists to save gas and has been advising us all on how to spend less when it comes to fuel.  Switch to E10, he says, which gives us more mile for the buck, or avail of credit card promos that offer a rebate on fuel purchases.  Sure.

I just can't wipe the image of the fully-grinning gas attendant waiting for my response to his foolish question.  It's just as bad as the image of Lorna Tolentino's billboard for Potencee--the same one where, with the sweetest smile, she suggests that vitamin C can help skirt cancer. Why the billboards were up even after Rudy Fernandez's death escapes me.  Shame, shame.  

When life becomes tough, we all need a little sympathy.