Rudolph Ian Alama | Philippine Information Agency

January 14, 2019

The Aboitiz Group which owns and operates the Cleanergy Park  in Punta Dumalag in Davao City is set to establish a pawikan rescue center inside the park.

This after a memorandum of agreement was signed on Thursday, Jan. 10, between Aboitiz, the city government of Davao and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Jaime Jose Aboitiz, chief operating officer of Aboitiz Power cited the Cleanergy Park’s role in maintaining biodiversity in the area, educating the public about the value of protecting and preserving the critically endangered hawksbill turtles or pawikan and taking care of wounded and rescued pawikans before they are released to the wild.

“The agreement we signed today is our way of formalizing this very important service Aboitiz is committed in building additional facilities for this purpose,” Aboitiz said during the MoA signing where he was joined by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and DENR-XI Regional Director Ruth Tawantawan.

Once known as the pawikan sanctuary as it is the nesting site of hawksbill turtles, the park  is surrounded by a 37 hectare marine protected area. It was transformed into an eco-park and opened in 2015 where 13,000 mangrove seedlings were planted.

To date, 3,482 turtle hatchlings have been discovered inside the park and released into the wild.

Meanwhile Mayor Sara Duterte reiterated the commitment of the city government in the protection of the various species of sea turtles found in Davao City.

“We look forward to the eventual creation of the Pawikan Rescue Center in Punta Dumalag not only to save our sea turtles but also other species of plant and animal life thriving within the marine protected area,” Duterte said during her speech at the MoA signing.