Happy New Year!

A safe, healthy and prosperous New Year to all of our friends and family.

May 2008 bring you and your families all the best!

A picture is worth...

I'm sure that you've heard me mention on a number previous posts, how difficult it has been to try and obtain any kind of photographic details of the Abaga Falls area via the Internet. Even when using more specialized search engines like Google or Microsoft Live Search, the results are less than rewarding. In fact, it would be very safe to say that one could easily locate ten times more photos of alleged Big Foots or Loch Ness Monsters of the world than photos of Abaga Falls or the surrounding area (recent or otherwise). The reality here is that there just aren't very many photos of Abaga Falls available. Again and as always, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

The most frustrating part of course for someone who is trying to take their cause to the streets, is that without any sort of visual or photographic depictions of Abaga Falls available, it is very difficult to rally people into action. In other words, how do you convince people to make any kind of effort to save and conserve something that they can't even see? This is a very "tough sell" to say the least.

It was during one of my recent image searches on the web for "all things Abaga Falls," that I came across the following photo of Limunsudan Falls. This spectacular two-tiered waterfall also lies on the outer fringes of Iligan City and is part of the surrounding system of dramatic waterfalls that are the city's claim to fame. It seems that this particular photograph has had an especially strong impact on me mostly because it is one of the few that I have recently come across that, in a way reminds me of the overwhelming beauty and grandeur I experienced as a boy exploring the Abaga Falls area. This photo in many ways, represents the primal beauty of Abaga Falls that I remember so vividly some 60 years ago. I can only hope that when the day comes, when I can somehow get my hands on similar photos of Abaga Falls, the beauty and grandeur will still be there...

Save Me: Pithecophaga jefferyii

(The first in a profile series highlighting several threatened species known to inhabit the Abaga Falls area.)

The people know me as Pagasa or the Monkey-eating eagle or even the great Philippine Eagle. The Filipino people refer to me in stories and in legends that they pass down through the generations. They emblazon my likeness on coins and military insignias. But few actually know me and even fewer have actually seen me in the wild.

I inhabit the lush tropical forests of the Southern Philipinne islands. In places like Abaga Falls, where I can hunt and raise my young without danger or disturbance.

All of that has been changing lately though. The humans continue to press further and further into our forests. At last count, there are less than 300 of us in the northern Mindinao area. We are killed to protect livestock, hunted for sport or kidnapped to be sold as exotic pets.

Worse, the areas that we often hunt and rear our young is being decimated for use as farmland. The trees we use to stand vigil and keep watch over our domain are being cut down to use as lumber.

At this point, all we can do is keep hope. Hope that the humans who often play the role of our enemies, will realize that it is only they who have the power to be our protectors and saviors.

Would you like to know more about me?

The Philippine Eagle Foundation

Philippine Eagle on Wikipedia

Indiana Jones and the....

Don't let the hiatus of active posts this past few months be any indication that I've somehow slacked off from my usual obsession regarding Abaga Falls. Quite the contrary! While it's true that I have been busy with things outside the realm of the this project, it is also true that I've been lucky enough dig up some very interesting information regarding the current environmental status of the Abaga Falls area (remember, this is still the primary quest of this project). Please note, I am using the term "interesting" here to denote that content of the information and not necessarily the quantity that is readily available to people outside of the immediate area. In regards to the latter, the situation remains the same... obtaining information about Abaga Falls is literally like pulling teeth. As I had mentioned in previous posts, I've been doing my best to make contact with locals, both formally and informally in a vain attempt to locate someone, anyone willing to provide any current information regarding the ecosystem. I've e-mailed countless local government officials, reached out to other bloggers and as well as local environmental groups for assistance. Nothing.

Well, up until recently that is... I was lucky enough to finally make contact with some of the folks from a group known as the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands. While they themselves were unable to provide any specific information regarding Abaga Falls (they've never even heard of the place!), they were able to put me in contact with some people that may be of value to our project now and in the future. One of of the most interesting things that I was able to cull from my recent various e-mail exchanges with these new contacts, was that Abaga Falls itself continues to be a mystery. Like some mysterious forbidden place right out of a good adventure movie. Frustration. Does anyone in that area know about Abaga Falls? There is so little information available. No one I've written to seems to know much of anything. Take for example, the second-hand satellite photo that one of my contacts recently provided (see attached photo). The photo has been cropped for the sake of size, but notice the markings on it to indicate various locations... Abaga Cliff? Why did whomever made this mark use the word "cliff" instead of "falls"??? Is this possibly because any sizable amount of water no longer flows through this area? Does Abaga Falls even exist anymore? It's somewhat demoralizing when your local contacts seem to politely insist that you're subject matter expert on Abaga Falls. I guess they're forgetting that I'm over eight thousand miles and an ocean away...

Wiki Wiki

Just a quick note to let you all know that we have recently created a page for Abaga Falls on that very popular on-line encyclopedia known as Wikipedia. This site will serve as public repository for all of the pertinent information that we are obtaining through our research, so I suggest that you please check the site on a regular basis.

Also, If there are any Wiki-Pros out there with information on Abaga Falls, we welcome you to stop by and add your own details to the site.

Abaga Falls on Wikipedia

Staying on Target

Whenever you take on a new project, there's a million things that go through your mind. Where to begin? What direction to take? The questions roll on and on. Ask any project manager worth his/her salt and they will tell you... it's very easy to get caught up in all of these considerations and lose sight of one's desired goals. For some time, I have been blogging about Abaga Falls, wondering about it's current state, gathering information (and mis-information) and then trying to draw conclusions about my findings. It's extremely difficult to hit such moving targets (and with so little information available), this is certainly a project that has me constantly reevaluating both my long term strategy and daily tactics. If I haven't already done so, let me go back and restate the very purpose of this blog. If not for my readers, then for myself...

1. To confirm the national park status (or lack thereof) of the Abaga Falls area
2. To determine, through reputable sources, the current state of the Abaga Falls Ecosystem

Sounds pretty simple doesn't it?

As a third and final goal, in the event that the Abaga Falls area does not currently enjoy national park status (and all of the benefits contained therein), to begin a campaign to obtain (or regain) such status.

Moving forward, I will do my best to keep readers apprised of any and all actions I have taken to achieve the goals I have detailed above. And as always, I remain open to any suggestions or recommendations that may be more effective in my efforts.

Remember, I cannot do this alone. Your support and involvement can help move mountains.

Hey, where's my falls?

Just happened to be checking out the "Official" website for Iligan City (I'm trying to e-mail the mayor) and noticed that there's a section of the site regarding local attractions in and around the city. Iligan City Cathedral? Cool. Hindang Caves? Great! Maria Christina Falls? Nice! Abaga Falls?... I said, Abaga Falls? Hmmm. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing...