The Philippines is hosting the 12th Meeting of Partners (MOP) of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF) Partnership for the first time since the program began in 2006, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announced Monday.
The international gathering, organized through the DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau, runs until Friday and serves as a platform for experts, partners, and observers to share knowledge, strengthen partnerships, and promote science-based conservation efforts for wetlands and migratory waterbirds.
The DENR said hosting the event highlights the country’s important role in protecting migratory bird habitats, especially as home to the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary — the first recognized flyway network site.
The EAAF is one of the world’s key migratory routes, covering 22 countries from Alaska and Russia down to Australia and New Zealand. It supports over 50 million migratory waterbirds, including endangered species such as the Far Eastern Curlew, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, and Black-faced Spoonbill.
DENR officials emphasized that protecting these birds’ breeding, feeding, and resting sites is essential, as they continue to face threats from habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.
EAAF chief executive Jennifer George said the meeting aims to gather insights from governments and other sectors “to strengthen collaboration and push for a more inclusive approach to conservation.”
