The Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Incorporated (PTFI) is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

non-stock corporation A non-stock corporation (or nonstock corporation) is a corporation that does not have owners represented by shares of stock, in contrast to a joint-stock company. A non-stock corporation typically has members who are the functional equivalent of s ...

based in

Tagbilaran City Tagbilaran, officially the City of Tagbilaran (; ), is a component city and capital of the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 104,976 people making it the most populous in the province. Tagbila ...

Bohol Bohol (), officially the Province of Bohol (; ), is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas Regions of the Philippines, region, consisting of the island itself and 75 minor surrounding islands. It is home to Bohola ...

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

, established in 1996 to conserve, promote research, and establish a

sanctuary A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred space, sacred place, such as a shrine, protected by ecclesiastical immunity. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This seconda ...

for the

Philippine tarsier The Philippine tarsier (''Carlito syrichta''), known locally as ''mawumag'' in Cebuano and other Visayan languages, and ''magô'' in Waray, is a species of tarsier endemic to the Philippines. It is found in the southeastern part of the archip ...

. Organized by local businessmen in Bohol, an island of 1.2 million people, the foundation runs an 8.4-hectare (20.7-acre)

or forest reservation, nestled within a larger protected forest where about a thousand other Philippine tarsiers are believed to live, protected by a permanent logging ban.Furry mascot of RP forest lives on borrowed time
Agence France-Presse Retrieved 18 November 2006.

Conservation program

Programs, projects, and activities

Tarsier research

The Philippine Tarsier Foundation undertakes the collection and cataloguing of all available research materials on the Philippine tarsier, from various institutions and agencies in the country and abroad, as well as the production of information and promotional materials.

Tarsier habitat management

The Foundation has designated approximately 134 hectares as

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no Exclusive exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly Waiver, waived, or may be inapplicable. Because no one holds ...

. To date, the Foundation has acquired 8.4 hectares of land in Canapnapan,

Corella, Bohol Corella, officially the Municipality of Corella (; ), is a municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 9,479 people. Located northeast of Tagbilaran, it may have been named after a ...

for the sanctuary. Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary entrance

Carlito Pizarras, dubbed as the "tarsier man", serves as the Field Supervisor of the sanctuary.Tarsier Man was once a menace to animals
www.inq7.net Retrieved 11 November 2006. As employee of the foundation, he assumes responsibility for the maintenance of the net enclosure and its inmates. The foundation further coordinates the conduct of

reforestation Reforestation is the practice of restoring previously existing forests and woodlands that have been destroyed or damaged. The prior forest destruction might have happened through deforestation, clearcutting or wildfires. Three important purpose ...

projects and other related activities or initiatives.

Community management

The foundation plans to expand and replicate the program in other areas with Philippine tarsier populations like Mindanao,

Leyte Leyte ( ) is an island in the Visayas group of islands in the Philippines. It is eighth-largest and sixth-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 2,626,970 as of 2020 census. Since the accessibility of land has been ...

, and

Samar Samar ( ) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the Philippines, with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern Visayas, which are in the central Philippines. The island is divided in ...

Visitor management

The Tarsier Research and Development Center is situated about 14 km. outside the provincial capital, Tagbilaran City, in the town of Corella, Bohol. It also serves as a visitor center.

Tarsier trail

The tarsier trail begins at the Tarsier Research and Development Center in Barangay Canapnapan, Corella, Bohol and covers a 134-hectare forested area.

Foundation

Board of trustees and officers

On April 17, 1996, the Philippine Tarsier Foundation Inc. was registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission, with the following prominent Bohol residents listed as incorporators: the Rev. Florante Camacho, SVD, president of the

Divine Word College of Tagbilaran Holy Name University is a private, Catholic, research, co-educational basic and higher education institution run by the Philippine Southern Province of the Society of the Divine Word in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines. It was founded by Fr. ...

; Anos Fonacier, municipal councilor of

Panglao, Bohol Panglao, officially the Municipality of Panglao (; ), is a municipality in the province of Bohol, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 39,839 people. Panglao has educational institutions, including the San Agust ...

and resort operator; and Col. (Ret.) Zosimo Angan, businessman. They were later joined by Richard Uy, banker, and Marlito Uy, department store owner. Elected principal officers were Fonacier as chairman; Camacho as president; and Jesus Alvarez, who is the only non-Boholano on the board, as executive vice-president. The executive officers of the Board of Trustees and Officers of the Philippine Tarsier Foundation during its incorporation in 1996 were Fr. Florante S. Camacho, SVD, president; Jesus Alvarez, executive director; Urbano Lagunay, secretary; Marlito Uy, treasurer; and retired Col. Zosimo Angan as auditor. The Board of Trustees were Anos Fonacier, Chairman; Richard Uy, Vice Chairman; Honorary Chairperson was Secretary Mina Gabor of the Department of Tourism, and the first Executive Director/Office Manager was Mr. Jovito Danilo C. Nazareno. During his term, the Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary Visitor Center was built and, together with the help of Mr. Carlito Pizarras, tarsier trails were established, marketing and promotional activities of the area as an ecotourism destination were introduced, and linkages with other environmental organizations and funding agencies were established to support captive breeding. Other preservation activities were also conducted. Currently, the following are the officers and Board Of Trustees: Chairman, Fr. Florante S. Camacho, SVD; Vice Chairman, Mr. Richard T. Uy; President, Atty. Urbano Lagunay; Vice President, Mr. Lyndon Angan (resigned - inactive); Secretary, Joannie Mary Cabillo (Program Officer); Treasurer, Mr. Marlito Uy; Members: Atty. Anos Fonacier; Dr. Irene Arboleda (researcher/scientist); Mr. Soliman Fonacier; Mayor Jose Tocmo - Municipality of Corella; and Field Supervisor Mr. Carlito Pizarras.

Carlito Pizarras

Carlito "Lito" Pizarras, known as the "Tarsier Man", is the Field Supervisor of the 8.4-hectare Philippine tarsier sanctuary run by the Philippine Tarsier Foundation in Barangay Canapnapan, Corella, Bohol. Hired by the foundation in 1998, he maintains the net enclosure and its 100 Philippine tarsier inmates. He also serves as a resource person and guide to visitors and researchers at the Research and Development Center.

References

{{Reflist

External links

CITES Appendix I, II and III

Entry in Primate Info Net
1996 establishments in the Philippines Conservation and environmental foundations Organizations based in Bohol Nature conservation in the Philippines Animal sanctuaries Animal welfare organizations based in the Philippines