MORONG, Bataan: GNPower Dinginin Ltd Co. (GNPD) announced Monday the release of 270 pawikan hatchlings or baby sea turtles out to the sea at the Sagip Pawikan Foundation hatchery in sito Fuerte in Barangay Poblacion here.
Employee volunteers of GNPD together with nature enthusiasts, residents, community leaders led in the release to the open sea Friday.
GNPD that operates coal-fired power plant in Mariveles, Bataan considered the event as a significant milestone in its ongoing efforts to protect and preserve the province’s marine biodiversity.
Gracing the occasion were Bataan 3rd district Congresswoman Maria Angela Garcia, Raphael De Leon of the provincial environment office, Sagip Pawikan Foundation president Arnold Mendoza, Poblacion Barangay chairman Jerson Garcia with members of his council and GNPD AVP for community relations Arcel Madrid.
“Ang ating pagmamahal sa ating inang kalikasan ay hindi tuwing season lang ng pawikan breeding and releasing. Kahit hindi tayo mag-patrol ng shores gabi-gabi, pero kung ginagawa natin ang ating responsibilidad at tungkulin sa ating inang kalikasan na alagaan siya, tayo rin ay kanyang aalagaan,” Garcia said.
The congresswoman said that once the environment is destroyed, all will feel the loss.
“Gusto 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 hachery,” Garcia added.
ENRO De Leon said that the marine turtles benefit not only the environment but also the fisheries and tourism of Morong and Bataan as a whole. He asked everyone to say a little prayer upon the release of the sea turtles and to continue supporting their pawikan conservation efforts moving forward.
With each release of the baby sea turtles, cheers erupted. It was said that once female pawikans reach maturity in 25 years or so, they come back to where they were born and lay their eggs.
At around 9:45 in the evening of the same day, a mother pawikan surfaced from the sea and laid 137 eggs.
In July of last year, GNPD signed a three-year agreement worth P4.3M with the Provincial Government of Bataan 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.
“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,” Madrid said.
“As we witness them embark on their journey, let us also acknowledge the journey of collaboration and community that brought us to this moment. Together, we stand as a testament to the profound impact that a united front can have in protecting the world and the community we live in,” he added.
GNPD, Madrid said, 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.
