Philippine Eagle Foundation Screening of “To Save Our Eagle”
Members of the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF); Mr. Dennis Salvador, PEF Executive Director; officers and staff of the PEF; representatives from the University of the Philippines Diliman and USAID’s Protect Wildlife project; Mr. Neil Rettig, To Save Our Eagle cinematographer; Dr. Laura Johnson, To Save Our Eagle film coordinator; fellow workers in government:
Thank you for making time to be here with us and to be part of our effort to save the Philippine eagle from extinction.
What you are about to see is a remarkable documentary titled “To Save Our Eagle.” This is a 45-minute documentary in ultra-high definition or HD. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology in partnership with the Philippine Eagle Foundation produced the film. Emmy-winning cinematographer Neil Rettig followed a family of Philippine eagles for five months until its eaglet left its nest. This is truly a work of passion. Let’s give Dr. Rettig a big hand, together with Ms. Johnson.
I hope that through this film, we could reach out to ordinary citizens to help in the effort to conserve this truly majestic bird. There is an African saying that goes: It takes a village to raise a child. In the case of the endangered Philippine eagle, it will take a nation to help it prevail.
The Philippine eagle is said to represent the nation through its courage, strength and grace. It also represents our predicament. The plight of the Philippine eagle is due to the loss of habitat and a general lack of appreciation for what needs to be done to conserve our wildlife — and, ultimately, to conserve our communities.
In this sense, this film is more than being just about the Philippine eagle. It is about building a new awareness about the symbiosis between a sustainable natural environment and a contented human community. It is about building a vigorous public ethic that respects and appreciates nature.
I won’t speak any further. Watch the film and be committed and inspired to preserve this magnificent symbol of the Philippines—the Philippine eagle.
Thank you.
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