MAY

Bataan Pawikan (Turtle) Festival

 

The weeklong event was highlighted by a ceremonial releasing of the Pawikan hatchlings to the South China Sea in Brgy. Nagbalayong, Morong, Bataan. Other attractions include street dancing competition wherein the participating groups are dressed loudly with colorful turtle-like costumes. There are also events like bazaars, walk for a cause, sand castle-making contest, graffiti painting contest, beach volleyball, seminars and more.

The celebration is a joint project of the Bataan Tourism Council Foundation, the municipal tourism council as well as Local Government Unit (LGU) of Morong.

Hundreds of visitors including students from different schools all over Bataan gathered in the Pawikan Conservation Center in Morong to witness this amazing event. Other present guests include some government officials in Bataan led by Morong mayor Cynthia Estanislao, Balanga City mayor Joet Garcia III, 2nd District Congressman Abet Garcia, event coordinator Gila Garcia and the wife of Bataan governor Vicky Garcia.

The guest speaker invited for this event is television personality Kim Atienza who arrived with his family and newscaster Karen Davila both from ABS CBN Network, Philippines.

Mayor Estanislao made the opening remarks and according to her, there are approximately 46, 000 turtle hatchlings today being taken care in the Pawikan Conservation Center under the supervision of Manolo Ibias, the chairman and one of the founders of the conservation center back in 1991.

The Pawikan Conservation Center was established to increase the awareness of the people and to provide crucial information about the significance of caring for these endangered species in our eco-system.

According to Atienza, there are only seven remaining species of turtles in the world, and five of these still exist in the Philippines. He added that this event would definitely help in preserving these species because nowadays people tend to kill them just to earn money or as a substitute for their foods.