PNoy-Pawikans released in Subic bay

SUBIC Bay Freeport: A resort here released more than 100 turtle hatchlings which was all named ‘PNoy Pawikan’ Wednesday.

Mark Dayrit, owner of All Hands Beach Resort said that more tha 60 foreign students from an international school released the ‘PNoy Pawikans’ which coincided with the President Benigno Aquino’s birthday last February 8.

All Hands beach has become an instant tourist attraction after several batches of Pawikan were released since December last year.

The company has already taken measures to make the beach resort into a sea turtle nesting site.

“We have already contacted the Ecology Center of the SBMA (Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority) and have asked their support in helping these animals,” Dayrit said, adding that the resort staff was given proper training in taking care of the turtles.

He also said that the Ecology Center has given them five tags to identify the mothers that lay their eggs on the resort’s beach. The center also gave them a chart to record the number of eggs laid along with a guide on how to relocate the eggs to a safer place within the beach.

All Hands is also making elementary and high school students aware of the need to protect these animals by giving free lectures on the life of a sea turtle before some hatchlings were released.

“We want to make sure that the kids get firsthand experience on how to handle these animals. Awareness is the key in the survival of the sea turtles,” Dayrit said.

The resort has successfully released 5 batches of  turtle hatchlings, 4 more batches are expected to hatch and release in the coming month.

One of the species who recently laid eggs was a Hawksbill sea turtle.