By Rene Genove
The Visayas Daily Star - Negros Oriental

An exhibit of top 20 photos of Philippine birds and skins of threatened birds will open today to set the mood for the upcoming 7th Philippine Bird Festival that will be hosted next month by Silliman University in Dumaguete City.

The Negros Bleeding-heart is the logo of
the 7th Philippine Bird Festival - Dumaguete

The exhibit at the Center Lobby of Robinsons Place Dumaguete until Wednesday, seeks to generate interest among the public in the upcoming Festival at the West Quadrangle of Silliman on September 23 and 24.

It will feature works by top photographers and bird enthusiasts, and bird skins, such as the Philippine Eagle, Visayan Hornbill and Black-naped Oriole, from the collection of the Silliman University Rodolfo B. Gonzales Museum of Natural History.

Leading in opening the exhibit will be Wild Bird Club of the Philippines president Anna Maria Gonzales and immediate past president Mike Lu, Silliman University acting president and vice president for Academic Affairs Dr. Betsy Joy Tan, Negros Oriental Governor Roel egamo and Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagabarria.

Viewing of the exhibit and participation in the Festival are for free. On Thursday the exhibit will move around different places, among them, the Robert B. and Metta J. Silliman Library.

This year’s festival logo features the endangered Negros Bleeding Heart Pigeon, which can be found in flesh at Silliman’s Center for Tropical Conservation Studies.

To promote wildlife conservation and increase awareness of the Negros Bleeding Heart Pigeon, CENTROP is waiving its entrance fees from today until Aug. 7 for all public elementary and high school students in Negros Oriental who will present their IDs.

An advocacy of WBCP, the Festival is also sponsored by the Team Energy Foundation and the Department of Tourism.*RG