Thousands of migratory raptors were observed during the 3rd Langyaw Langgam Festival held on October 3, 2025, at Sarangani Raptor Hill in Barangay Rio del Pilar, Glan.
The event, organized by the Provincial Government of Sarangani through the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), was conducted in partnership with Raptorwatch Network Philippines, MLGU Glan, and the BLGU of Rio del Pilar.
The festival’s highlight was the Raptor Bird Monitoring activity, which recorded large numbers of raptors flying from Taiwan toward the Philippines. The Chinese Sparrowhawk was the most frequently sighted species.
According to organizers, Glan serves as the birds’ final nesting stop before they continue their migration to Indonesia. The raptors typically rest around Mt. Taltak and Mt. Gulo, with Raptor Hill offering a key vantage point for observation.
During the event, the Japanese Society for the Preservation of Birds donated four binoculars and a spotting scope to PENRO to support ongoing monitoring efforts.
Atty. Alex Tiongco of Raptorwatch Network Philippines noted increased forest cover in Mt. Taltak compared to a decade ago and urged continued environmental protection.
Sarangani’s Environmental Conservation and Protection Center (ECPC) began documenting migratory raptors in Rio del Pilar in 2014. Data gathered from 2016 to 2020 led to the passage of Municipal Ordinance No. 22-005, declaring September and October as the official Langyaw Langgam Festival months in Glan.
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