The Philippine Cockatoo Festivals - Learn, celebrate and have fun!

June 13, 2010 - PRLog -- Fun, fun and more fun while learning something relevant!!! Is that possible? The province of Palawan is back on its festive mood. The Municipality of Dumaran in northern Palawan will be holding its 7th Kalabukay Festival on the 15th to 18th of June while the Municipality of Narra in southern Palawan gears up for its 4th Katala Festival on 19-22 June. Celebrate with us and learn about caring your environment!

This year’s festivities observes a particular issue with global importance and certainly a concern for each and everyone  – the changing climate! Why do we care? The impacts and effects of climate change are inevitable. We may not admit it but we feel it. The theme is also apt in commemoration of this year 2010 being the International Year for Biodiversity (IYB). Effects of climate change on diversity of life are mostly irreversible. It will damage all the life support systems we rely on.

Both festivals highlights the Fun Day which is fully packed with activities catering to the general public like interactive lectures about the theme, puppet shows, games, quiz bee, essay writing, film showing, face painting, coloring activities and more. In addition, Kalabukay Festival in Dumaran includes the most awaited Search for Ms. Kalabukay 2010 and in Narra we are holding a combined physical and academic competition among offices on their knowledge about the Philippine cockatoo.

The festivals’ names, Kalabukay and Katala, are local terms for the Philippine cockatoo. Initiated by the Katala Foundation, Inc. ever since, the festivals had been generously supported by the two local governments of Dumaran and Narra.  The HOPE to save our very own survival lies in each one of us. We believe that with informed decisions we can make the right choice to safeguard the wealth of plants and animals critical to sustain our very future! As IYB puts it – Biodiversity is life!

Katala Foundation uses the endemic Philippine cockatoo as its flagship species to achieve its vision of conserving biodiversity with active community involvement. In the Municipality of Narra where Rasa Island Wildlife Sanctuary is located, probably the highest population density of the Philippine cockatoo that remains in the wild is found. This makes Narra as the “Philippine cockatoo of the World”. Equally important is the Island of Dumaran where viable population of the Philippine cockatoo can be found in the mangroves and forest remnants.

Indeed, nature festivals promote environmental learning through fun activities. For several years of conducting these festivals, the awareness of the local community on protection and conservation is remarkably increasing.

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The Katala Foundation (KF) implements the Philippine Cockatoo Conservation Program in the Philippines and uses the Philippine cockatoo as its flagship species but employs an ecosystemic and participatory approach for conservation.