The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is eyeing to modernize the National Wildlife Rescue and Research Center (NWRRC) into a world-class facility in a bid to improve its capabilities to protect and rehabilitate the country’s wildlife resources.
“We will enhance, upgrade and redesign the [NWRRC] so it can be brought up to global standards,” Environment Secretary Maria Antonia “Toni” Yulo-Loyzaga said in a statement released on Saturday, Oct. 21.
With this, Loyzaga said the environment department will develop a biodiversity expert advisory group to help improve the NWRRC as part of a larger initiative to strengthen the country's capacity to conserve and protect wildlife species and ecosystems, as well as combat illegal wildlife trading and other wildlife crimes.
She said the agency's plans include deploying over 200 Wildlife Traffic Monitoring Units in 36 airports and 131 seaports, as well as training over 700 Wildlife Enforcement Officers.
The DENR chief said the modernization of the NWRRC is very important because the Philippines is one of the mega biodiverse countries in the world.
“We are a hotspot, and therefore, we must make very good use of our protection and enhancement capabilities in order to stop illegal wildlife trade and all other wildlife crimes,” said Loyzaga.
The Philippines, according to the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), is a source country for wildlife and wildlife byproducts like pangolins and marine turtles as well as a destination for trades like those involving parrots maintained as pets
In 2020, the NWRRC received new ultrasound and X-ray machines from the United States Agency for International Development that will aid the center’s veterinarians and staff in diagnosing diseases, injuries, and conditions of wildlife and exotic animals in their care.
The NWRRC, under the management and administration of the DENR’s BMB, is located within the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center. The facility has assisted in the recovery, rescue, and care of abandoned wildlife and exotic animals, as well as those illegally trafficked and exchanged. Its mission involves caring for and rehabilitating rescued wildlife species, which frequently come scared, traumatized, sick, or injured.