Davao Light, Coast Guard partner for marine conservation

Photo by Krizzy Daugdaug
Photo by Krizzy Daugdaug

ABOITIZPOWER subsidiary Davao Light and Power Co. and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary-Davao (PCGA-Davao) have partnered for the conservation of marine life, which was highlighted by a donation of a ship to draw out trash from the sea.

On July 8, 2022, a memorandum of understanding was signed with the two organizations for a Conservation Program Partnership specifically with Davao Light’s sea turtle sanctuary, the Aboitiz Cleanergy Park.

“You might be wondering what utility company like Davao Light has to do with the pawikan or the environment, we want to take care of the environment, we want to contribute to the biodiversity,” Rodger Velasco, President and Chief Operating Officer of Davao Light, said during their signing ceremony.

Velasco said the partnership with the PCGA-Davao will also help to spread awareness on how to take care of the environment.

According to Davao Light, the park has become home to nearly 100 endemic migratory bird species, marine species, and at least three critically endangered pawikan species such as the Hawksbill turtle, Green Sea turtle, and Olive Ridley turtle since it opened in 2014.

“We want to protect them [pawikan] because they always mistake plastics as their diet, kasi favorite diet nila is jellyfish (because jellyfish is their favorite diet), and they mistake plastic as the jellyfish. We have rehabilitated a few, we took care of them in the past then ang popo nila plastic din,” Velasco said.

Meanwhile, PCGA-Davao described the current situation of the park as a “dump site.”

“In our area of responsibility (AOR) because of the informal settlers ang basura kay nagka-anam. Ang Punta Dumalag sad to say, mura man nahimo nag tambakan sa basura because of the current of the water, katong mga basura from Davao River and nearby area didto magpundo (it looks like a dump site because of the water’s current, waste from Davao River and nearby areas have gathered [around the park]),” VADM. Beethoven Sur, National Director of PCGA, said.

Velasco said the park cleanliness should be maintained.

“Imo na siyang limpyohan karung adlawa, the following day, two to three days daghan na pud og basura (If you’re going to clean it today, the following day or after two or three days, it will be littered with trash again), and since it has become a haven for the turtles, we have to help maintain the area,” Sur said.

Sur said the partnership is timely considering that they are set to receive a special kind of ship from the central PCGA.

“Naay idonate sa ato nga usa ka barko nga mosuyop og basura sa dagat, ang atoa nalang gihulat nangita me og aplikante nga captain para mokuha sa Manila dal-on dire sa Davao, kung moabot na dire, we assure you nga every month or every two weeks bisitahan nato ang Punta Dumalag, suyopon nato ang basura diha, it will be one of our priorities (We are will receive a donation of a ship that will help us collect trash from the sea. We are just waiting for a captain who can bring it to Davao from Manila. Once in Davao, we assure you that every month or every two weeks we will visit Punta Dumalag, we will help collect the garbage in the area),” Sur said.

The Aboitiz Cleanergy Park is an eight-hectare ecological preserve and biodiversity conservation site located on the coast of Punta Dumalag, Matina Aplaya, Davao City. The park is managed by Davao Light, an AboitizPower subsidiary, and the Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. KSD

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