"The Wild Bird Club of the Philippines is pleased to announce that we were chosen as one of the Environmental Champions for the World Bank Philippines' state of the environment annual publication, The Philippine Environment Monitor 2004".

The publication identified Environmental Champions as concerned individuals, governments and informal organizations that have relied on local resources and demonstrated a strong political will to become pioneering champions of environmental protection.

Representing a cross-section of Philippine society, they have addressed environmental issues such as forest and biodiversity protection, coastal resource management, and air pollution. Some of these individuals and organizations have become widely known, while others have remained unrecognized outside their own communities.

WBCP 10th Year anniversary:
Keep on Birding

ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPION

WILD BIRD CLUB OF THE PHILIPPINES A group of bird watchers started WBCP. Soon members realized that the only way they could continue watching the many birds in yhe country was to ensure the protection of habitats. This led to the transformation of WBCP into an advocacy group - identifying critical habitats and raising awareness about the need for their protection. Recently, some of the Club's volunteers were part of the scientific expedition that discovered an unknown bid species - the Calayan Rail in the Babuyan Islands.

WBCP wins World Bank Environmental Champion Award. Awardees line-up with DENR Secretary Mike Defensor (extreme left). WBCP President Mike Lu on the extreme right.

Through their efforts, and working in partnership with other environmental groups, members have identified about 100 bird species and their habitats in Metro Manila. They organized bird watching trips, attend various meetings, and set up exhibits to bring Philippine bird biodiversity, and the threats to the bird habitats to the public's attention.

The awarding ceremonies were held on June 20, 2005 at the Visitor's Center of the Ninoy Aquino Park in Quezon City. The awards were given out by Secretary Mike Defensor of the Department of Natural Resources and Mr. Joachim von Amsberg, Country Director of the World Bank office in Manila. This is the first year the awards were given out and the WBCP is very honored to be part of it.