By Ruben Veloria   MORONG, Bataan — Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower), through private limited partnership GNPower Dinginin Ltd. Co. (GNPD), concluded its three-year sea turtle or pawikan protection and conservation program, SagiPaWeCan, in Sitio Fuerte, Barangay Poblacion, Morong, Bataan, with a hatchling release. SagiPaWeCan was created to provide safe nesting environments that facilitated better hatchling survival. It also promoted conservation awareness, thus empowering local communities and fostering a deeper culture of environmental responsibility in the province. During its three-year run, the program transplanted 37,021 olive ridley eggs and released 35,632 hatchlings. This is equivalent to a 96.25% hatching rate, which can otherwise decline to 25% or less if the hatchlings are left to disturbances and predators. “SagiPaWeCan has made a lasting mark on Bataan’s environmental conservation efforts,” said Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO) OIC Raphael De Leon. “It significantly contributed to the preservation of Bataan’s sea turtle population, strengthened the province’s eco-tourism potential, and educated local communities about environmental stewardship.” According to Sagip Pawikan Sitio Fuerte President Arnold Mendoza, training, equipment support, and consistent engagement has empowered the group to take an active role in conservation. “Volunteers were transformed into marine life protectors, gaining not only environmental awareness but also a deeper sense of purpose and pride.” Launched in 2023 through a Memorandum of Agreement with the Provincial Government of Bataan, the program helped address the threats faced by endangered pawikan populations along the province’s coastline. It supports GNPD’s “Protect Marine Life” initiative under its P.R.O.G.R.E.S.S framework and the UN Sustainable Development Goals 14 (Life Below Water and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). P.R.O.G.R.E.S.S., which stands for “Protect marine life, Reforest land, Optimize wealth from waste, Generate livelihood skills and income, Rehabilitate social infrastructure, Elevate educational opportunities, Safeguard quality health access, and Strengthen disaster resiliency”, is GNPD’s strategy for corporate social responsibility, focused on co-creating positive change, shared value, and sustainable social and environmental development. 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. According to the IUCN Red List, the hawksbill is critically endangered, while the green and olive ridley turtles are classified as endangered and vulnerable, respectively. Their declining populations are attributed to habitat loss, illegal poaching, marine pollution, and climate change. All three marine turtle species are protected under the Philippine Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (RA 9147), making conservation efforts like SagiPaWeCan timely and necessary, serving as a compelling example of how private sector leadership, together with community collaboration, can create meaningful and lasting impacts. GNPD is a 2×724.965 megawatt (gross) coal-fired power plant in Mariveles, Bataan, which is considered by far to be the largest coal-fired power plant in the country today utilizing supercritical technology that fully complies with the most stringent local and international environmental and emission standards.        

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) welcomes the favorable decision of the Regional Trial Court of San Fernando in La Union, which dismissed the Petition for Land Registration filed by Shipside, Inc. over a parcel of land within the Poro Point Freeport Zone (PPFZ). This legal affirmation strengthens BCDA’s mandate over the property and paves the way for the continued advancement of its strategic development initiatives in PPFZ properties. These include the revitalization of the San Fernando Seaport and the comprehensive enhancement of PPFZ. The court’s decision marks a critical milestone in unlocking the full potential of Northern Luzon. With PPFZ poised to become a key hub for tourism, logistics, and investment, the region is set to benefit from increased economic activity and long-term growth. Central to this vision is the San Fernando Seaport, whose continued operation and planned upgrades are vital to generating jobs, supporting livelihoods, and driving inclusive progress in the local community.      

Local fishermen made a firm stand against illegal drugs by surrendering over a billion pesos worth of suspected shabu found floating in the shores of Pangasinan since June 5, 2025. The illegal drug was placed inside a total of 267 transparent plastic packs, weighing roughly 267 kilograms worth a staggering P1,815,600,000. The floating suspected shabu packs were turned over by the fishermen to combined operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Navy (PN) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with the support from the Local Government Units of Agno, Bani and Bolinao, Pangasinan. The turn-over were done in the coastal barangays of Dacap Sur, Bani, Pangasinan; Boboy, Agno, Pangasinan and Luciente I and Balingasay, both in Bolinao, Pangasinan. “My admiration goes out to the fishermen for their selfless acts of honesty and integrity. They are not after personal gain but rather the greater well-being of society”, said PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani R Nerez. PDEA also commends its partner law enforcement agencies such as the PCG under Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan and the PNP under Police General Nicolas Torre III, for their staunch cooperation to avert any attempts to exploit the porous coastlines of the Northern seaboard for drug smuggling. The operation highlights the strong inter-agency collaboration of law enforcement units in carrying out the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure national security through persistent maritime and coastal vigilance. “We are sending a clear message to transnational drug syndicates: our waters are no longer safe havens for their illegal operations. Do not dump poison into our coastal communities. We will hunt you down”, DG Nerez emphasized. PDEA remains firm in its resolve to protect the Filipino people by leading the fight against illegal drugs. The agency will continue to forge partnerships with communities, maritime stakeholders, and other law enforcement agencies to guard the country’s shores against possible entry of illegal drugs. As of press time, the turnover of more suspected shabu packs discovered by local fishermen is still on-going.