Ruben A. Veloria
Morong, Bataan, Philippines — Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) released 336 sea turtle or pawikan hatchlings in a ceremony at its adopted hatchery site in Sitio Fuerte, Barangay Poblacion, Morong, Bataan, recently.
Through private limited partnerships GNPower Mariveles Energy Center (GMEC) and GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co. (GNPD), the event served as the high point of the company’s three-year SagiPaWeCan project.
This flagship conservation program supports GMEC and GNPD’s “Preserve the Planet” initiative under its P.U.S.O. Corporate Social Responsibility framework, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals 14 (Life Below Water) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Morong Mayor Leila Linao-Muñoz noted that the cooperation between the Morong and SagiPaWeCan is a proof that when the community, government and the private sector unite their efforts, they could achieve significantly.
“Sama-sama po nating itaguyod ang ating adbokasiya na maging tagapangalaga ng ating mga pawikan, at maging aktibo para po pangalagaan natin ang ating kalikasan,” she added.
Building on this momentum, GMEC and GNPD Reputation and Stakeholder Management (RSM) Manager Joseph Paolo Mendoza announced that the program will be extending for another five years with a new Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) which will be formally signed on March 25, 2026, together with the Provincial Government of Bataan (PGB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the local people’s organization, Sagip Pawikan Sitio Fuerte Association.
“We’re not done yet. We’re choosing to commit and protect because conservation is not seasonal, it’s generational,” Mendoza said.
He note that every hatchling being released carries proof that when the community, government, and private sector move together, they create real impact.
Since 2023, the program has transplanted 55,190 olive ridley eggs, resulting in the successful release of 53,435 hatchlings, representing a 97% hatching rate.
If left unprotected, the rate could be only about 25% or lesser because of natural predators and other environmental disturbances. The Philippines is home to five of the seven sea turtle species in the world, three of which — the green, hawksbill, and olive ridley turtles — nest on the shores of Bataan which are protected under the Philippine Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (RA 9147).
This makes conservation efforts like GMEC and GNPD’s project SagiPaWeCan timely and necessary, serving as a compelling example of how private sector leadership, together with community collaboration, can create meaningful and lasting impacts.
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