Think of Subic and chances are bats would be the last thing that would be associated with it. Although these nocturnal animals (locally known as bayakan) have always been a familiar sight to those who frequent the area, only a few people know that the Subic is home to some of the world’s most exquisite species of flying mammals. An even smaller number might be aware of the crucial role that these creatures assume in maintaining the fragile ecosystem of the forested mountains of Subic Bay in Zambales. Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. is one of the few who see the value in preserving the habitat of these magnificent winged marsupials.

An unusual endeavor
Pilipinas Shell Foundation was established in 1982 by the Shell companies in the Philippines as an operating foundation engaged in social development projects aimed to uplift the quality of life of underprivileged Filipinos. Now on its 20th year, its thrust towards sustainable development is evident in all its programs and projects, particularly in support of the Malampaya Deep Water Gas to Power Project, operated by Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. (SPEX). Consistent with the business activities and commitment to holistic development of SPEX, the Foundation is at the forefront of the Malampaya Sustainable Development Program. The program ensures the sustainability of the projects being implemented in areas where various Malampaya structures are operating.

One such place is Sitio Agusuhin in Subic where the Concrete Gravity Structure of the Malampaya Natural Gas to Power Project was constructed. Pilipinas Shell Foundation, in partnership with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) carried out the Sitio Agusuhin Develoment Program (SADP) to provide marginalized communities across the prosperous Central Business District of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone with improved education and health care.

As for the SADP’s environmental protection and stewardship component, the Foundation, together with the other stakeholders of the community, decided to embark on a one-of-a-kind project for Subic’s “other” night-time residents. The Subic Bay Bat Restoration Project at Mt. Sta. Rita, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, aims to restore and preserve the feeding area of endangered Philippine Fruit Bats. The management of the project was recently transferred to SBMA in a turn-over ceremony held in Agusuhin.

The Bat Habitat Restoration Project is the first of its kind in the Philippines. Twenty hectares of forest land were planted with 20,270 fruit bearing trees specifically needed by the endangered fruit bats. Hopefully, the bats, which used to number in the hundreds of thousands in the early 1930s, will again flourish to help maintain the tropical forests through their habit of scattering seeds that heal denuded areas by natural replanting.

Home to the largest and the smallest
Unknown to many, the once lush forests of Subic is home to two of the world’s largest species of bats, the Giant Fruit Bat or Giant Flying Fox (Acedoron jubatus) that have wingspans reaching up to two meters and weighing from one to 1.5 kg; and the golden crowned flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus lanensis). The area also is home to the world’s smallest – the lesser flat-headed bat (Tylonecteris pachypus). These bats earned their moniker of flying foxes because of their facial features that resemble that of a fox – large eyes, snout and all. Unlike their more popular and scarier flat-nosed cousins that use echolocation, they use their sense of sight and smell to aid them in finding food.

These delicate wildlife are valuable allies of the local environment and false misconceptions arising from their being associated with vampires and witches have led people to believe they are indeed “creatures of the dark” and do not need the extra care and affection afforded to other endangered animals. But these indigenous species are actually harmless and rely on flowers and fruits of forest plants for sustenance. They extract the nectar from flowering plants by means of greatly elongated tongues aiding in the cross pollination of the plants in the process. The bats help in the dispersal of seeds of such fruit trees as durian, mango, guava, banana, kapok, tamarind, and jackfruit to name some. The bats are absolutely vital to the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem maintenance.

These fruit bats used to number over a hundred thousand 70 years ago, but with incessant killing either for sports or as food by the local population, their numbers dwindled to just over 20,000 to 30,000 in recent years. Pilipinas Shell Foundation, with the help of the Ecology Center of SBMA has tried to reverse this trend for the past three years. A community of Aetas has been equipped with the skills and resources to manage the plantation on a long-term basis in return for the rights to harvest the fruits of a sustainable resource. This puts value to the traditional knowledge and symbiotic relationship that the local stewards have cultivated with the bats over the course of countless generations.

Getting credit
The Malampaya Sustainable Development Program (of which the Bat Habitat Restoration Project is part) recently won the World Summit Business Award for Sustainable Development Partnerships. The award was given by the International Chamber of Commerce and the United Nations Environment Programme during a special ceremony at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg last year. Ten companies were chosen from among 120 countries that came from 37 countries worldwide and were recognized to be the most effective in multi-stakeholder partnerships that were designed to pursue and achieve sustainable development.

With this acknowledgment, Pilipinas Shell Foundation hopes to continue its commitment to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. And with the help of both the people of Subic Bay and their flying furry friends, the Foundation is well on its way to fulfilling that pledge.