UP, PEF Celebrate Breakthrough Philippine Eagle Genomics Study
Published: November 6, 2026
By: Eunice Jean Patron
The University of the Philippines (UP) Office of the President hosted a dinner celebrating the successful collaboration between UP and the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) on a study of the Philippine Eagle, led by Dr. Cynthia Saloma of the UP Diliman College of Science’s National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (UPD-CS NIMBB).
The research was conducted by Dr. Saloma alongside lead authors Franchesca Pascual and Dhan Mikhail Perdon, also of NIMBB; Francis Tablizo, John Michael Egana, Renato Jacinto Mantaring, Carlo Lapid, Kris Punayan, Shiela Mae Araiza, Jo-Hannah Llames, and Ma. Celeste Abad of the Philippine Genome Center (PGC); Dr. Jayson Ibañez of PEF; and Dr. Juan Carlos Gonzalez of UP Los Baños. The scientists not only assembled a high-quality draft genome of the Philippine Eagle but also used the genomic data to identify information that could support its conservation.
The celebratory dinner, held on October 2, 2026, at the Executive House in UP Diliman, was attended by Dr. Saloma, Dr. Ibañez, the Philippine Eagle study researchers, and officials, including UP President Atty. Angelo Jimenez, UP Vice President for Research and Innovation Dr. Joel Joseph Marciano Jr., PGC Executive Director Dr. Windell Rivera, and UP Mindanao Chancellor Dr. Lyre Anni Murao.
In another article, their study revealed that the Philippine Eagle has exceptionally low genetic diversity, with individuals showing very little genetic variation among them. During the celebratory dinner, Dr. Saloma presented evidence of higher genetic diversity and lower levels of inbreeding among PEF’s captive-bred individuals. These findings point to the success of PEF’s captive breeding program while highlighting the precarious genetic state of Philippine Eagles in the wild.
“This study’s groundbreaking results make a significant contribution to the field of biodiversity genomics in the Philippines. Our research provides a master blueprint for how genomics can be used to study and conserve a lot of other organisms,” Dr. Saloma noted in her presentation. “The foundational knowledge we have generated here can help safeguard not only the Philippine Eagle but also other endangered species across the Philippine archipelago. We hope to inspire other Filipino researchers and institutions to investigate the molecular data of endemic species in the region.”
President Jimenez explained that these kinds of activities show what collaboration with other institutions can do to advance science and even contribute to economic development. “Science and scientists must speak up at this time. We have to speak very loudly because the nation is hungry for our voice. During the height of the crisis, the government was like a deer caught in the headlights. The calls kept coming from government offices, asking for scientists. In times of crisis, that’s when they need us,” he said.
“I’m also very pleased to share that the knowledge generated from this research, together with many other studies, is now helping guide the latest 10-Year Species Action Plan for the Philippines. At this point in the conservation program, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is very much interested in knowing the parentage or bloodline of every eagle we are trapping in different regions of the Philippines. We think that alone is a very positive development,” Dr. Ibañez added.
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