Sea Turtle Stewardship Program

Sarangani Province has three sea turtle hatchery sites that ensure the hatching success of Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, and Green Sea turtles (all are endangered according to IUCN). Recently, more natural nesting sites were reported by the locals and were validated by the Environmental Conservation and Protection Center. Unfortunately, this good news is threatened by the increasing environmental apathy in the province and lack of understanding of the bioecological importance of sea turtles. The PaWeCan do it is a movement that ensures the mitigation of this apathy and impart knowledge to locals about the importance of sea turtle conservation. We initiated the Sea Turtle Stewardship Program (STSP) to inform, capacitate, and involve the locals in conservation activity such as nightly patrols, data gathering, IEC campaigns, and hatchery rehabilitations. But in order to do that, we need to capitalize because the area is an hour and a half away from our city and Information, Education, and Communications (IEC) campaign materials are costly. We have developed brochures about the basic bioecological guide for sea turtles in the Philippines and we will be giving them to the coastal schools in the province.

This is a way to increase our funds as all of our projects/activities are funding dependent. Doing this activity is an inherent responsibility, considering that Philippine biodiversity is threatened in many ways. I feel accomplished if I do things with passion, and protecting these marine reptiles is indeed one step in saving our Philippine seas.

Everyone can help be it in social media campaign and donations. Your P50.00 will save hundreds or even thousands of turtles, not just here in the Province, but in the world. Kindly visit and like our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pawecandoit for more information and updates.

Together let's help save these endangered faunas. I can do it, PaWeCan Do It!