Morong, Bataan – A total of 192 sea turtle (pawikan) hatchlings were released into the sea last February at the SagiPaWeCan Center in Sitio Fuerte, Morong, Bataan. The activity was part of a joint conservation initiative led by local government officials, community volunteers, and GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co. (GNPD), a subsidiary of AboitizPower.
The release event was spearheaded by Sagip Pawikan Sitio Fuerte President Arnold Mendoza, Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO) Officer-in-Charge Raphael De Leon, Morong Vice Mayor Leila Linao-Muñoz, GNPD Resident Site Manager Joseph Paolo Mendoza, and Morong Mayor Cynthia Linao-Estanislao.
The hatchlings emerged from protected nests and instinctively crawled to the shoreline before making their way into the sea—an essential part of their natural life cycle. This activity forms a key component of the Sagip Pawikan conservation program, which works to protect endangered marine turtles and safeguard nesting areas along Bataan’s coastline.
GNPD, which operates a 1,336-MW coal-fired power plant in Mariveles, Bataan, has long supported local environmental initiatives, particularly in marine life preservation and coastal resource management. Through its partnership with Sagip Pawikan and local government units, GNPD provides vital funding, technical support, and logistics to improve hatchery operations and conduct regular coastal patrols.
In line with these efforts, Arnold Mendoza also led a midnight patrol at the hatchery to monitor nesting sites and deter poaching—one of the primary threats to marine turtle populations.
Officials emphasized that sustained collaboration between public and private stakeholders is essential for the long-term success of marine biodiversity conservation.
The pawikan conservation program in Bataan is widely recognized for its grassroots, community-driven approach and its success in improving hatchling survival rates through protected nesting and carefully managed release operations.