Located approximately 300 kilometers from the mainland of Palawan is Lawak Island in the West Philippine Sea. The 7.93-hectare land has sandy beaches, grassy areas and forests. It is also a bird sanctuary, hosting approximately 4,300 migratory bird species, mostly sooty terns, greater crested terns and brown noddies. There is also small populations of little egrets, great egrets and barn swallows.

From an ornithological perspective, none of the islands and cays within the Kalayaan Island Group, including Lawak Island, had been subjected to a formal survey until July 2022. Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) Executive Director Atty. Teodoro Jose Matta said on Saturday that it was then that they dispatched a team to the island to conduct a rapid avifaunal survey on its seabird populations.

Among the three vulnerable bird species, the sooty terns (Onychoprion fuscatus) boast the largest population on the island, numbering 4,190 heads, according to the avifaunal audit that year. The next largest bird population are brown noddies (Anous stolidus) at 45, and the greater crested terns (Thalasseus bergii) with 32.

Lawak is where the second-largest Philippine sooty tern colony can be found, following Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) in Cagayancillo town, and also serves as the third recognized breeding ground for brown noddies, alongside TRNP and Meander Reef.

The bird sanctuary is among the identified Philippine Sentinel Sites for Seabird Conservation during the 1st National Seabird Forum and Action Planning Workshop in 2021 organized by the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Tubbataha Management Office.

Threats

Matta said that protecting Lawak Island is crucial for preserving the migratory birds that travel from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere, reaching destinations as far as Brisbane and the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland’s coast in Australia.

“Their migration pattern includes Lawak. This highlights how integral Palawan is to global ecology and the world’s bird populations. Endangering this critical habitat would have a significant impact on global biodiversity,” he said.

While merely his own theory, Matta said he is going to propose a verification study.

In the past, seabirds faced threats from military personnel collecting their eggs as food supplements and from dogs preying on them. The construction of a helipad in 2022 on the island, however, emerged as the most severe threat, causing habitat destruction and adversely impacting their populations, as stated in the bird study.

A military source, who requested anonymity due to not being authorized to discuss the matter, said that the helipad has since been abandoned, acknowledging the dense bird population on the island and the associated risks of accidents.

“It’s not in use because of the need to protect the birds,” the source claimed.

Matta noted that the government’s January 2024 proposal for an ₱800 million port and a 3-kilometer runway was deferred, with the decision made in consideration of the birds’ welfare.

He said he spoke with DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga two weeks ago and informed her that the projects couldn’t proceed. She then connected him with Department of Transportation (DoTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista to express his concerns.

“I talked to Secretary Bautista, I gave my concerns, and he told me to do a survey and find out alternative sites. They’re on hold right now until we can come up with alternative project sites. That’s basically where the projects stand right now,” Matta said.

Avian treasure

Ma. Vivian Soriano, a senior ecosystem management specialist at the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office of the local DENR, concurred, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive study to assess the impacts of both minor and major developments planned for Lawak before proceeding.

She said birds play many roles, including as predators, pollinators, scavengers, seed dispersers, seed predators and ecosystem engineers.

“Before any construction begins, studies must first be conducted to address and mitigate impacts on the birds,” Soriano said.

The PCSDS and teams from DoTr, the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority and the military will go to Lawak Island to do a second round of bird population survey in May this year.

Jovic Fabello, spokesperson for the PCSDS, stressed that there is a critical need for stricter enforcement of environmental regulations in the Kalayaan Islands Group where Lawak is, underlining its role within the Philippines’ territorial boundaries, where the nation bears the responsibility to safeguard avian treasures.

“It’s important that we enforce environmental laws strictly in Kalayaan, not just on mainland Palawan, because some of these birds are already vulnerable,” he said.

He explained that the island is indispensable for these birds because if it were to disappear, they would lose a crucial layover site. Their migratory route would be directly affected, as they are instinctively programmed to stop at Lawak before continuing to other destinations.

Fabello said this is why an agreement was executed on 5 April, empowering Kalayaan town to enhance protective measures for the island, which has been designated as a critical habitat for migratory birds under the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Resolution No. 22-827 of September 2022, in accordance with Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.

As Kalayaan town begins to boost its tourism industry, with Lawak being one of the featured destinations, it is essential to manage the flow of visitors carefully to ensure the daily routines of the birds are not disrupted.

“Visiting bird sanctuaries can be a rewarding experience, offering unique insights into the lives of birds and the ecosystems that support them. However, policies must be enforced such as not making loud noises, designating bird watching spots, not feeding the birds, no littering, and others,” he said.