DENR, local government executives release 72 marine turtle hatchlings

MANILA, Philippines - Environment and local officials of Glan, Cotabato released 72 marine turtle hatchlings in a coastal village last week. The move is in line with the biodiversity conservation program of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Jose L. Atienza Jr.

Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) officer Rhawell M. Pamplona led the release of the three-week-old sea turtles of the Hawksbill species (Scientific Name: Eretmochelys imbricata)  in Barangay Pangyan. 

Wenie Vergara, chief of the Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Section of CENR Office in Glan assisted CENRO Pamplona together with Barangay Pangyan kagawad Soping Endilong who represented barangay chairman Hermilo de los Santos.

In an interview, De los Santos said a local resident named Paulino Tapican took care of the eggs of the sea turtle or “pawikan”. When asked what prompted the residents to take care of the marine turtles, De los Santos said that he informed the residents through information and education campaign the importance of preserving marine turtles and slaughtering them or even gathering their eggs prohibited by law.

“Kun karnehon nato ang mga pawikan, mahimong makolob ang atong mga kaldero,” (If we slaughter marine turtles, we will lose our livelihood) De los Santos said in the vernacular in reference to possible incarceration of offenders.

The hawksbill turtle, along with eight other marine turtle species, are facing a very high risk of extinction due to hunting and egg-gathering hence, classified by the government as critically endangered. The hawksbill turtle derived its common name from its beak-like mouth which is sharply pronounced and hooked than other sea turtles.

Barangay Pangyan is one of the nesting sites of marine turtles situated along the coastline of the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape. This 214,000-hectare protected bay was declared as such in 1996 through Proclamation No. 756 in pursuance to Republic Act No. 7586, otherwise known as the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992.