Photo: DENR Central Luzon
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has strengthened its marine turtle conservation efforts in Zambales by training coastal communities and protected area management implementers on proper conservation and monitoring practices.
The training, conducted by the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in Masinloc, gathered about 40 participants from the coastal towns of Palauig and Masinloc, including those involved in managing the more than 7,000-hectare Masinloc and Oyon Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape (MOBPLS).
CENRO Masinloc Chief Donaver Guevarra said the activity was designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of local stakeholders in marine turtle conservation, monitoring, and proper handling.
“The support of coastal communities is vital in sustaining marine life, especially the pawikan that frequently nest within the marine protected area of MOBPLS,” Guevarra said.
Guevarra noted that the protected area continues to serve as an important habitat for Olive Ridley and Green sea turtles. In the past year alone, more than 300 hatchlings were successfully released back into the sea.
DENR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo emphasized that the initiative is part of the Department’s continuing commitment to protect critical marine biodiversity and preserve coastal ecosystems.
Marine turtles are considered key indicators of ocean health and are protected under Republic Act No. 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
“We need to protect this vital marine life. Their survival depends on us,” Pablo said. “By strengthening the capacity of local implementers and communities, we help ensure the long-term survival of marine turtle populations and the ecological integrity of our coastal and marine ecosystems.”
The training covered marine turtle biology, threats, and relevant legal frameworks, as well as practical sessions on species identification, nesting beach monitoring, hatchery management, and the rescue and rehabilitation of stranded or injured turtles.
Participants also learned proper handling and tagging procedures and took part in a field activity to assess actual nesting sites and exchange best practices for implementation in their respective communities.
The Masinloc and Oyon Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape is the first and only marine protected area in Central Luzon established under Republic Act No. 11038, or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Area System Act of 2018.