WE APPRECIATE very much the letter of Paul R. Mortel (Inquirer, 6/18/09) alerting us to our “sin of omission” for not including the tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis) in the full-page advertisement titled “Let Us Save Our Natural Treasures,” which was published in your newspaper on June 5.

The six species were featured in the advertisement merely for illustrative purposes. They were not meant to project an exclusive enumeration.

Indeed, we have thousands of other endangered species, endemic and non-endemic, that were not pictured, either, in the advertisement, although they are important components of our natural treasures.

Nevertheless, we take note of Mortel’s suggestion. We share his sentiment that the Philippine tamaraw should be accorded its own place in our list of endemic species. We thank him for being a partner of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in our advocacy to preserve and conserve our natural treasures.
—MA. SABRINA R. CRUZ,
officer in charge-director,
Public Affairs Office,
Department of Environment
and Natural Resources,
Visayas Avenue, Diliman, QC