Maguindanao wild monkeys beg for food in highway

DATU ODIN SINSUAT – The excruciating heat in Maguindanao due to the ongoing dry spell may have sent wild monkeys to major highways, begging for food from motorists and locals.

About 20 monkeys were seen beside the highway waiting for motorists to share some food on Monday afternoon.

Photo by Ferdinandh Cabrera

Among the motorists was a certain Mr. Aranias, a government employee, who was passed by on a motorcycle with his son and daughter.

They stopped, pulled out some pandesal to give to the monkeys.

Other monkeys are seen at the top of coconut trees harvesting young fruits to eat.

"They come closer to people now, so we give them food and take photos of them," Aranias said.

"Clearly, they are asking for food...they don’t attack humans but we are careful, my children were glad to see them, so rare at this time."

Coincidentally when they surfaced on Monday, the world celebrated Chinese New Year, ushering in the year of the fire monkey.

Aranias said he shared food not because he was expecting something in return as a New Year’s blessing but "they are endangered species, it is rare to see them here, it’s up to the almighty to bless us on what we did on earth."

He said he hopes the government would protect these animals.

"This lately they are seen on the highway, before they stay up there (mountains) and never come close to humans," Kagi Ali, a resident nearby said.

The animals and their offspring were seen crisscrossing the highways unmindful of speeding vehicles.

Last year, two of young monkeys were seen lying dead just beside the highway after hit by speeding vehicles.

Vice Mayor Datu King Jhazzer Mangudadatu has expressed concern of the possible danger to the wild animals.

He said will put signages or warning signals to inform motorists that they must slow down on the curved highway area in Datu Odin Sinsuat as a "wild monkey crossing area."

"We have to respect other creatures too and I’m glad Maguindaons had never hunt or eat these creatures unlike other places in the country where some people or natives tend to eat these mammals," Mangudadatu said.

Other residents see this as a tourism attraction for passerby motorists — "for feeding wild monkeys." —JST, GMA News