Mariveles, Bataan – In a heartwarming spectacle that brought together
nature enthusiasts, residents, community leaders, and 35 GNPower
Dinginin Ltd. Co. (GNPD) employee volunteers led the grand release of
pawikan hatchlings in a ceremony held at the Sagip Pawikan Foundation
hatchery in Sitio Fuerte, Brgy. Poblacion, Morong, Bataan last January
26.
Marking a significant milestone in GNPD’s ongoing efforts to protect
and preserve the province’s marine biodiversity, the event drew a
diverse crowd, including children, locals, public servants, and
environmental advocates, as 270 baby sea turtles were released into
the open sea.
Gracing the occasion were Bataan 3rd District House Representative
Maria Angela Garcia, PGENRO OIC Raphael De Leon, Sagip Pawikan
Foundation President Arnold Mendoza, Poblacion Barangay Captain Jerson
Garcia and his councilors, and GNPD AVP for Community Relations Arcel
Madrid. The junior pawikan patrollers, who are composed of kids as
young as seven years old, were also there.
“Ang atin pong pagmamahal sa ating inang kalikasan ay hindi tuwing
season lang po ng pawikan breeding and releasing. Kahit hindi po tayo
mag-patrol ng shores gabi-gabi, pero kung ginagawa po natin ang ating
responsibilidad at tungkulin sa ating inang kalikasan na alagaan siya,
tayo rin po ay kanyang aalagaan,” said Congresswoman Garcia. “Once
masira po ang kalikasan, tayo at ang susunod na henerasyon rin po ang
mawawalan.”
“Gusto po nating maging sustainable ang effort na ito. Kaya’t
maraming salamat sa mga volunteers na naririto, at sa GNPD na laging
tumutulong sa atin upang maging successful ang ating pawikan
hatchery,” she added.
Meanwhile, PGENRO’s De Leon said that pawikans benefit “not only
the environment but also the fisheries and tourism of Morong and
Bataan as a whole.” He then requested everyone to say a little
prayer upon the release of the sea turtles and to continue supporting
their pawikan conservation efforts moving forward.
In July of last year, GNPD inked a three-year agreement worth P4.3M
with the Provincial Government of Bataan, PGENRO, and the Sagip
Pawikan Foundation to adopt the said local hatchery. The program is
part of GNPD’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) flagship
project called P.R.O.G.R.E.S.S. under the letter “P” or Protect
Marine Life arm.
Since then, the breeding ground has released a total of 10,926
hatchlings from a total of 15,587 pawikan eggs conserved. The adoption
has already generated 158 pawikan nests, from which 107 have already
hatched and released into the wild. Out of the seven sea turtle
species in the world, five can be found in the Philippines. Three
turtle species, including Green, Olive Ridley, and Hawksbill turtles,
make the shores of Morong, Bataan their nesting sites.
In his closing remarks, Madrid expressed that “as your partners in
empowering progress, we at GNPD hope this event serves as a vivid
reminder that our individual and collective journeys intertwine with
nature. The pawikans’ return to the ocean is not just a celebration of
their freedom, but also a reflection of our shared commitment to
safeguarding the oceans and the species that prosper in it.”
GNPD is committed to continuously creating sustainable and reliable
environmental and social development programs relevant to nurturing
and supporting our community and environment to co-create positive
change and empower progress.