TACLOBAN CITY — Bird photographers and conservation advocates from across the country converged at the Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park (MVNP) in Leyte for the park’s first-ever Bird Photography Race held on February 2–3, in celebration of World Wetlands Day 2026.
Organized by the MVNP Protected Area Management Office (PAMO), the two-day event brought together amateur and professional photographers and birding enthusiasts to promote wetland protection and wildlife conservation through ethical nature photography.
The activity was conducted in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Office, the local government units of Burauen and La Paz, the Philippine Eagle Foundation, the barangay local government unit of Mahagnao, the Energy Development Corporation, the Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park Ecoregion Association, and other stakeholders.
With the theme “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage,” the photography race aimed to highlight the ecological and cultural value of wetlands while encouraging responsible bird photography practices. Participants were reminded to document bird species without disturbing wildlife or damaging their natural habitats.
During the opening program, DENR Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services Angelito Villanueva urged participants to observe ethical standards in wildlife photography, emphasizing the principle, “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints.”
Municipal Executive Assistant Marc Lee Cinco of La Paz encouraged photographers to tell meaningful stories of nature through their images, while Wild Bird Photographers of the Philippines president and conservation photographer Alain Pascua noted that compelling bird photographs can help inspire public support for protecting species and their habitats.
At the close of the event, winners were announced in four categories. Don Geoff Tabaranza of Quezon City emerged as overall champion, winning awards for Most Number of Bird Species Photographed, Best Wetland Bird Photograph, and Best Bird Action Photograph, and received a total of P15,000. Vicente Cornelio Pascua of Zambales won Best Endemic Bird Photograph and received P5,000.
MVNP Protected Area Superintendent Wincel Nuñez thanked partner agencies and participants, saying the activity helped raise awareness and strengthen conservation efforts for wetlands and wildlife within the park.
Aside from the photography competition, participants attended lectures on wetlands conservation, solid waste management, and the ecological profile of MVNP, and joined a tree-planting activity with local residents and government personnel.
Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park, an 860-meter dormant stratovolcano, was declared a national park in 1937 and proclaimed a protected ecotourism site through legislation in 2018.
Located about 18 kilometers from the town proper of Burauen, the park serves as a protected habitat for more than 28 bird species, including Philippine wild ducks, Barred Rail, Cinnamon Bittern, Brahminy Kite, and White-throated Kingfisher.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
