VIGAN CITY, Dec. 31 (PIA) – As part of the intensified Marine Turtle Protection Program of the provincial government, residents in Ilocos Sur who report a turtle nesting site to local officials will now receive as high as P10,000 as a monetary reward.

Pawikan Parents, those who found marine turtle nest/s and served as the protectors of the eggs until their successful hatching, used to receive P2,500 for the discovery of eggs and an additional P2,500 for the successful hatching.

Through the amendment of the Marine Turtle Nesting Site Protection Ordinance, as per Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member (SPM) and Committee on Environment Chairman Christopher Baterina, if the Pawikan Parent was able to take care of 100 eggs and all of them hatched successfully, they will now be rewarded P10,000.

“This amendment will help our Pawikan parents financially. It is also a powerful thrust to our Pawikan conservation efforts,” Baterina said in a Facebook post.

Started last October 2019, through the initiative of SPM Baterina, this program aims to prevent marine turtle egg poaching, which is a major cause of the declining turtle population.

Before the reward is given, the nesting site must first be reported to the Barangay Chairperson of the barangay where a Pawikan is seen that is about to lay eggs or where the nesting site is located.

The Barangay Chairperson shall be responsible for the informing DENR – Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-CENRO) or the Municipal or City Environment and Natural Resources Officer (MENRO/CENRO).

Then, the Pawikan eggs must be protected through fencing the nesting site and monitored regularly until they are hatched.

Lastly, Pawikan parents must properly release the baby Pawikans safely to the sea under the supervision of authorities.

“This rewarding amendment is made possible through the leadership and support of our Governor Ryan Luis V. Singson and the initiative of Vice Governor Jerry Singson to increase the reward to P100 per hatchling. For more information and details, please do not hesitate to ask your coastal barangay Kapitans or send me a message,” SPM Baterina added. (JCR/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)