From poachers to protector

From selling poached sea turtle eggs at P30 each before, Candon City’s coastal villagers are now protecting the endangered animal at P100 each.

The incentive was given under Ordinance No. 1090 introduced in 2023 to so-called “Pawikan Parents” or individuals who find and guard marine turtle nesting sites until the eggs successfully hatch.

The ordinance also gives coastal barangays P5,000 incentive for helping protect hatchlings from their nests all the way to the sea.

Candon City Mayor Eric Dario Singson said the ordinance changed the people’s attitude towards marine turtles and turned poachers into protectors.

In the past, the struggle for daily survival once turned coastal residents into a severe threat to local marine life. Driven by extreme poverty and the immediate need to provide food for their families, locals frequently resorted to poaching pawikan eggs. From just two nests, over 80 eggs were regularly being stolen from the shores.

“What we’re seeing is a heartening change. The same communities that once saw pawikan eggs as a source of income are now becoming their protectors, watching over nests, guarding hatchlings, and helping them reach the sea,” said Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna.

Illegal egg collection, coupled by habitat loss, fishing, marine pollution and climate change threaten the sea turtles’ survival.

The Philippines is home to five of the world’s seven sea turtle species: green turtle, olive ridley, leatherback, loggerhead and hawksbill turtle, which are critically endangered.

Also helping curtail poaching is Republic Act 9147, also known as the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act that Cuna said intensified the protection of the country’s biodiversity and wildlife by the DENR and the City of Candon.

Through the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Tagudin, the DENR conducts information, education and communication activities in coastal communities to raise awareness of marine turtle conservation, wildlife laws, and the proper protection and handling of pawikan and their nesting sites. CENRO-Tagudin likewise provides technical assistance to help communities properly secure and protect nesting areas.

The community has enthusiastically embraced the program. Reynaldo Galace Jr., president of the Barangay Caterman Fisherfolks Association, has spearheaded grassroots marine biodiversity efforts. Whenever fisherfolks spot distinct sea turtle tracks on their beaches, they immediately alert the CENRO Tagudin and work together to secure the nests using protective bamboo poles and nets.

DENR ecosystem management Sspecialist Dr. Ingrid L. Baglao said, “What’s truly wonderful is how our LGUs and barangays stepped up to help us conserve, manage, and protect our sea turtles.”

The Pawikan Parent initiative has successfully aligned economic survival with ecological preservation, he added.