The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has cited the country’s gains in protecting the whale shark or butanding, calling the local conservation effort a significant model worth emulating. During the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), Roy Cimatu, environment secretary, said the steps taken by various local government units (LGUs) that play hosts to the butanding, particularly the town of Donsol in Sorsogon province, are very valuable. Cimatu said the country’s hosting of the CMS meeting, which has been dubbed as the world’s largest wildlife conference in 2017, serves as a “great opportunity” for the Philippines to showcase local efforts to protect migratory species, especially the butanding.

DENR cites LGU efforts on 'butanding' preservation. (2017, November 6). Malaya Business Insight, p. A2.