The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS), together with DENR-CENRO of the municipality of Roxas, supported the initiative of Atelier Aquatic Community Interest Company in the conduct of Information, Education Campaign (IEC) activity on the conservation and protection of marine turtles in Sitio Barombong and Bay-bay Daraga, Port Barton, Municipality of San Vicente, Palawan on January 26-27, 2021.
The said activities, dubbed as “Pawikan Project,” had emphasis on art, education and conservation and were attended by 62 participants, comprised of 30 children and 32 individuals from the abovementioned communities. The Atelier Aquatic, an NGO that uses creative solutions to engage communities in education and marine conservation, initiated this community outreach in Port Barton, San Vicente.
DENR Forest Technician Karl Hojas Sumandal, PCSD Staff Eduardo Cabrera, Art on the Move artists, and photographer and film makers also joined in the activities to help facilitate the project and document the whole event.
One of the highlights of the project is the IEC activity that centered on Wildlife Act, biology and the importance and proper handling of marine turtles. A mural painting activity on the importance and conservation action for the marine turtles was also held that made the whole event more exciting and fun-filled.
The Pawikan Project held on Port Barton, municipality of San Vicente, is on its second year. The organizers of the event hoped that an increased awareness on the importance of marine turtles would be realized through this project. Moreover, the activity was aimed at informing and mobilizing the communities about the conservation action they could undertake to help protect the turtles’ nesting sites, as well as their hatchlings in their first stage of life.
