▁encourag ed ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁" Fri ends ▁of ▁T ars ier ," ▁an ▁association ▁composed ▁of ▁local ▁profession als , ▁religious ▁and ▁civ ic ▁leaders , ▁media ▁pract ition ers , ▁business men , ▁government ▁execut ives ▁and ▁workers , ▁and ▁students ▁committed ▁to ▁t ars ier ▁conservation ▁effort ▁in ▁particular ▁and ▁environmental ▁protection ▁and ▁pres ervation ▁in ▁general . ▁The ▁foundation ▁also ▁made ▁appe als ▁for ▁both ▁financial ▁and ▁technical ▁assistance ▁from ▁various ▁organizations , ▁corpor ations ▁and ▁individuals , ▁public ▁and ▁private , ▁Filip ino ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁foreign , ▁which ▁have ▁shown ▁themselves ▁to ▁be ▁similarly ▁mind ed ▁and ▁are ▁past ▁and ▁present ▁contrib utors ▁to ▁such ▁causes . ▁The ▁first ▁to ▁respond ▁to ▁these ▁solic itations ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Tour ism , ▁which ▁has ▁released ▁to ▁the ▁Foundation ▁a ▁gener ous ▁grant ▁ear mark ed ▁for ▁projects ▁and ▁activities ▁in ▁the ▁ec ot our ism ▁field . ▁ ▁Through ▁its ▁" Support ing ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁T ars ier ▁Conserv ation ▁Program ", ▁ ▁First ▁Gen ▁don ated ▁Ph p 2 ▁million ▁to ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁T ars ier ▁Foundation ▁to ▁help ▁fund ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁T ars ier ▁Conserv ation ▁Program ▁which ▁is ▁focused ▁on ▁prevent ing ▁the ▁ext inction ▁of ▁the ▁ind igen ous ▁Philipp ine ▁t ars ier . ▁A ▁portion ▁First ▁Gen ' s ▁don ation ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁fund ▁research ▁on ▁the ▁imp lications ▁for ▁B iod iversity ▁Ass ess ment ▁and ▁Conserv ation ▁in ▁the ▁provinces ▁of ▁Vis ay