Corregidor Island: A Historic Fortress at the Gateway of Manila Bay
Cavite’s Corregidor Island forms the largest part of the harbor defenses of Manila Bay, together with El Fraile Island, Caballo Island, and Carabao Island, which
Naic, Cavite
Pawikan Festival
Celebrating and Conserving Sea Turtles in Naic, Cavite
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- Naic, Cavite
The Pawikan Festival in Naic, Cavite, serves as a vibrant celebration of local culture while addressing the urgent need for sea turtle conservation. Through community engagement, educational initiatives, and hands-on conservation efforts, the festival not only entertains but also educates and inspires action to protect these majestic marine creatures.
Explore the Philippines through my lens as we venture into Pawikan Festival with Point of View (POV) photography. Using a body cam, I’ll guide you on an interactive tour, revealing the behind-the-scenes of capturing the shots shared here. Let’s dive into this visual journey together and uncover the wonders through my lens!
Let’s explore the PHILIPPINES through my lens as we journey on a photo slideshow to Pawikan Festival. Join me in this visual adventure and discover the wonders captured through my lens! Check out the shared slideshow here.
In the coastal barangay of Labac, Naic, Cavite, the Pawikan Festival emerges as a beacon of hope for the Olive Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea), a species classified as “vulnerable” by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). This festival, inaugurated in 2011 by the Naic Tourism office and local supporters, stands as a testament to the community’s dedication to conserving these endangered marine creatures.
Check out the video for more highlights. See what I’ve captured through my lens with Point of View (POV) photography. Using a body cam, I’ll take you on an interactive tour, showing you behind-the-scenes moments of capturing the shots shared here.
Check out the video below for additional features. Explore what I’ve captured through my lens in this cinematic slideshow.
ABOVE: Pictures of Pawikan Festival participants, showcasing their colorful attire and painted faces. The weekend festivities began on February 4th with an enthusiastic parade, featuring dynamic street dances and floats adorned with imaginative pawikan designs.
ABOVE: Pictures of Pawikan Festival participants, showcasing their colorful attire and painted faces. The weekend festivities began on February 4th with an enthusiastic parade, featuring dynamic street dances and floats adorned with imaginative pawikan designs.
Significance of the Festival
The Pawikan Festival, held every February, aligns with the pawikan nesting season in Naic, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts. Olive Ridley Sea Turtles are among the few marine turtles that still nest in Barangay Labac, making it a crucial location for their survival. With a global survival rate so low—only one in 1,000 hatchlings reaches adulthood—the preservation of even a single nesting site is critical to the species’ continued existence.
Festival Highlights
In its thirteenth year, the festival commenced with a vibrant parade on February 4th, featuring competitive street dance performances and creatively adorned pawikan-themed floats. These dances and floats are not just for celebration; they depict the challenges faced by sea turtles and serve as a powerful platform for conservation messages.
ABOVE: The Pawikan Festival kicked off its thirteenth-year celebration on the morning of February 4th. The weekend festivities started with an energetic parade featuring lively street dance performances and creatively decorated floats inspired by pawikans.
ABOVE: The Pawikan Festival kicked off its thirteenth-year celebration on the morning of February 4th. The weekend festivities started with an energetic parade featuring lively street dance performances and creatively decorated floats inspired by pawikans.
The festival’s culmination occurs along the shore, near the Sea Turtle Hatchling Facility, where attendees and volunteers participate in a coastal cleanup and witness the release of over 90 hatchlings back into their natural habitat. This act symbolizes the festival’s commitment to marine conservation, blending festive activities with meaningful environmental action.
ABOVE: The lively street dances during the festivities do more than just celebrate; they vividly portray the challenges faced by these majestic creatures, sending powerful messages that support their conservation.
ABOVE: The lively street dances during the festivities do more than just celebrate; they vividly portray the challenges faced by these majestic creatures, sending powerful messages that support their conservation.
Community Engagement and Conservation
The local community’s journey towards sea turtle conservation began when the Department of Environment and Natural Resources recognized Barangay Labac as a vital nesting site. This revelation sparked a transformation in local attitudes towards sea turtle protection.
ABOVE: The festival is all about passionately protecting and preserving sea turtles, known as pawikans. It goes beyond that by spreading awareness, educating folks, and running campaigns promoting concepts like Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
ABOVE: The festival is all about passionately protecting and preserving sea turtles, known as pawikans. It goes beyond that by spreading awareness, educating folks, and running campaigns promoting concepts like Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
ABOVE: Posing for the camera is one of the festival queens during the Pawikan Festival. Beyond the vibrant festivities, this festival serves as a platform to raise awareness about the plight of endangered pawikans and the importance of their conservation.
ABOVE: Posing for the camera is one of the festival queens during the Pawikan Festival. Beyond the vibrant festivities, this festival serves as a platform to raise awareness about the plight of endangered pawikans and the importance of their conservation.
Under the leadership of Rogelio Bilugan, the Samahan ng Labac Pawikan Patrollers (SLPP) and local volunteers established the Sea Turtle Hatchling Facility. This facility plays a crucial role in the careful incubation of sea turtle eggs and the release of hatchlings into the ocean. The SLPP is dedicated to protecting eggs from predators and rescuing injured pawikans, extending their efforts to neighboring barangays to safeguard turtle eggs across a broader community.
ABOVE: Pictures of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles hatchlings receiving care from a volunteer patroller of the Samahan ng Labac Pawikan Patrollers (SLPP) in Labac, Naic, Cavite. The SLPP, made up of passionate volunteers patrolling Labac’s shores, works actively to safeguard sea turtle eggs from predators. They also go the extra mile by rescuing injured pawikans.
ABOVE: Pictures of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles hatchlings receiving care from a volunteer patroller of the Samahan ng Labac Pawikan Patrollers (SLPP) in Labac, Naic, Cavite. The SLPP, made up of passionate volunteers patrolling Labac’s shores, works actively to safeguard sea turtle eggs from predators. They also go the extra mile by rescuing injured pawikans.
During the nesting season from September 2023 to February 2024, the SLPP released over 5,000 hatchlings, showcasing their ongoing commitment to protecting these vulnerable species. This effort is part of a broader initiative that expects to release between 4,000 to 5,000 hatchlings annually, reflecting the positive impact of their conservation work.
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ABOVE: Close-up pictures of hatchlings of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles (scientific name: Lepidochelys olivacea) being cared for at the facility in Labac, Naic, Cavite. These little sea turtles are classified as “vulnerable” by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) because they have only a few nesting spots. Their survival faces significant challenges from threats like predators, climate change, and human interference.
ABOVE: Close-up pictures of hatchlings of Olive Ridley Sea Turtles (scientific name: Lepidochelys olivacea) being cared for at the facility in Labac, Naic, Cavite. These little sea turtles are classified as “vulnerable” by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) because they have only a few nesting spots. Their survival faces significant challenges from threats like predators, climate change, and human interference.
Broader Impact
In the entire Calabarzon region, there are only a few sea turtle nesting sites. In Cavite, besides Naic, a notable nesting site is found in Noveleta town, specifically in Long Beach in Barangay San Rafael 4. Quezon province also hosts a nesting and hatchery site located in Brgy. Barra, Lucena City. In Batangas province, nesting sites can be found in San Pascual, San Juan, Lobo, and Batangas City.
ABOVE: Sir Rogelio Bilugan from the Samahan ng Labac Pawikan Patrollers (SLPP) is sharing advice and knowledge with festival-goers at the Sea Turtle Hatchling Facility in Barangay Labac, Naic. This conservation center is more than just a hatchery – it’s an educational space with resources about pawikan information, communication, and education.
ABOVE: Sir Rogelio Bilugan from the Samahan ng Labac Pawikan Patrollers (SLPP) is sharing advice and knowledge with festival-goers at the Sea Turtle Hatchling Facility in Barangay Labac, Naic. This conservation center is more than just a hatchery – it’s an educational space with resources about pawikan information, communication, and education.
The Pawikan Festival and the SLPP’s efforts highlight the Philippines’ role in global sea turtle conservation. The Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines, a non-government organization, underscores that the Philippines is home to five out of the seven sea turtle species globally: Green Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle, Leatherback Turtle, and Olive Ridley. Unfortunately, all these species are endangered and listed on the IUCN Red List.
ABOVE: Every year, during the Pawikan Festival, the spotlight is on the release of sea turtle hatchlings, guiding them back to their natural habitat. This diverse celebration not only entertains but also underscores the importance of marine conservation.
ABOVE: Every year, during the Pawikan Festival, the spotlight is on the release of sea turtle hatchlings, guiding them back to their natural habitat. This diverse celebration not only entertains but also underscores the importance of marine conservation.
ABOVE: The entire sandy stretch serves as the nesting grounds for Olive Ridley Sea Turtles in Barangay Labac, Naic, Cavite. These sea turtles are classified as “vulnerable” by WWF because of their limited nesting sites. The Sea Turtle facility station is situated here, working in collaboration with the fishing community and volunteers to protect these vulnerable species.
ABOVE: The entire sandy stretch serves as the nesting grounds for Olive Ridley Sea Turtles in Barangay Labac, Naic, Cavite. These sea turtles are classified as “vulnerable” by WWF because of their limited nesting sites. The Sea Turtle facility station is situated here, working in collaboration with the fishing community and volunteers to protect these vulnerable species.
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Corregidor Island: A Historic Fortress at the Gateway of Manila Bay
Cavite’s Corregidor Island forms the largest part of the harbor defenses of Manila Bay, together with El Fraile Island, Caballo Island, and Carabao Island, which
