Suwag o Suko: Tough tamaraw conservation on film

MANILA — Mindoro’s hardworking rangers and the dwindling tamaraw population are the lead characters in the newly launched documentary film, “Suwag o Suko,” which tells the daily plight of some 20 volunteers in keeping the numbers of critically endangered dwarf buffalos afloat.

“Suwag o Suko” is a love letter to the tamaraw rangers and everyone working in conservation. It was made with local audiences in mind because we want to instill a sense of pride, shared identity, and ownership for our natural heritage,” said Celine Murillo, who wrote the script with director Mark Ace Gatdula and other pro bono volunteers.

The hour-long documentary, which was launched on Wednesday at the National Museum, examines the economic, social and cultural significance of the Mindoro dwarf buffalos and how its survival is invariably tied to the indigenous Mangyan tribes and the continued conservation efforts of rangers.

The launch also coincides with the celebration of Tamaraw Month this October.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Tamaraw Conservation Programme (TCP) Coordinator Neil Anthony del Mundo, for his part, believes the film will not only raise awareness among Filipinos but also advance the advocacy for wildlife conservation.

“We herald this unique, biologically-important and culturally- significant animal. We must spread awareness for conservation,” he said.

The Tamaraw or Bubalus mindorensis is a wild buffalo found solely on the island of Mindoro in the Philippines and is among the world’s most endangered animals.

At the vast land of Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park (MIBNP) spanning at 106,655 hectares lies the core habitat for the largest remaining population of tamaraws which only counts 480, down from 523 in 2018.

These bovines are considered critically-endangered and just a step above extinction in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.

Suwag o Suko: Saving the Tamaraw from Extinction is scheduled for nationwide screenings in the coming months with possible international exposure through video-on-demand platforms.

The film was produced in partnership with the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the DENR-TCP.

At present, BIOFIN Philippines is working on finance solutions to raise resources for the tamaraw and other endangered species through creative crowdfunding and diaspora.

According to BIOFIN Philippines, a national caravan will follow Suwag o Suko’s launch to create additional buzz and catalyze support for tamaraw conservation.

People who want to support the Tamaraw conservation efforts either in-cash or in-kind may contact BIOFIN at biofin.ph@undp.org. or Angelique Ogena at angelique.ogena@undp.org.