PALAWAN — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and a US-funded aid organization has launched a project that aims to protect areas in Palawan, Zamboanga City, and Tawi-Tawi from harmful illegal wildlife activities.

The DENR partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is for Protect Wildlife Project, which will be pilot-tested in the 3 provinces.

According to Fernando Tactay, provincial environment and natural resources officer in Palawan, the project aims to reduce illegal activities such as poaching and wildlife trade.

This year, the Mount Mantalingahan Protected Landscape in southern Palawan has been the focus of the project.

The DENR will deploy personnel to secure and monitor the protected area. They also started to conduct an information campaign regarding the importance of wildlife protection.

Aside from preventing illegal activities, the collaboration aims to strengthen natural and environmental resource management in the country, and highlight the importance of biodiversity.

Taking care of natural resources will allow the country to develop ecotourism zones that can help people in communities and lift them out of poverty, the DENR said.