Tayo at ang Pawikan

MORONG, Bataan – Bataan once again celebrated its award-winning Pawikan Festival last November 26 and 27 in this coastal town with so much fun and significance.

Capitalizing on the belief that environmental awareness and protection is everybody’s concern, for the past eleven years now, the Provincial Government, in its desire to engage all sectors of the society in its serious efforts to protect and conserve the Pawikans, has been spearheading the yearly celebration of Pawikan Festival in this town, through the Bataan Tourism Office and the Bataan Peninsula Tourism Council Foundation, Inc. chaired by Mrs. Vicky Garcia.

For this year the festival started on Saturday, November 26 with an Art Exhibit of the artists of Morong, followed by an Environmental Forum, entitled “Tayo at ang Pawikan”. The night ended with an acoustic concert and night patrol.

Early the next day at 5:00am was the Run for the Pawikan, a fun run participated in by government officials, students, teachers, artists, environmentalists, and other stakeholders.

During the opening program, our very own Koro Bangkal Magbikin rendered song numbers, after which Mayor Cynthia Estanislao of this town warmly welcomed the participants. Prior to Governor Abet Garcia’s message, the Chairman of the Bantay Pawikan Inc., Manolo Ibias gave his testimony. Mrs. Vicky Garcia in turn, led the Oath of Environmental Protection. The colorful street dancing competition followed after the ceremonial releasing of hatchlings.

In the afternoon of the same day, an environment fair, a creative forum, a paddle painting competition, and kite flying contest were held simultaneously. After the awarding ceremony, the much-awaited beach party followed.

It is appalling to note that despite the vital role that the pawikans play in maintaining balance in the world’s ocean ecosystem, they have been virtually eliminated in many parts of the world due to commercial fishing, loss of nesting habitat and climate change; to name a few of the human-caused threats pushing sea turtles towards total extinction. It goes without saying then, that as their populations decline, so does their ability to fulfill their vital functions in maintaining our healthy marine ecosystems. It would be interesting to note that, despite their diminished population levels, pawikans continue to fulfill their crucial role in our ecosystem.

Bataan, being one of the very few places in the world that serve as sanctuary to these endangered sea turtles immediately responded to this threat, hence conservation efforts in our province started as early as 1999 in this town which resulted to the formation of the Bantay Pawikan, Inc., the first community based conservation program of marine turtles with the help of UNDP-GEF-SGP, PRRM.