THE Davao Light and Power Co., Inc. released about 169 hawksbill sea turtle hatchlings from two nests at Aboitiz Cleanergy Park in Sitio Punta Dumalag, Matina Aplaya, on Jan. 23, 2026.
Fermin Edillon, head of Davao Light’s Reputation Enhancement Department, said the hatchlings came from the park’s third and fourth nests of the year. The first batch of pawikan hatchlings was released on Jan. 3, bringing the total number of releases in 2026 so far to 461.
Edillon said the park has steadily increased its turtle releases over the years. “Since 2014, we have released more than 10,943 hawksbill hatchlings,” he said. In 2025, the park released 850 hatchlings, and Edillon expects the number to rise in the coming months as more nests are set to hatch in February.
He also noted that the park rescued a sea turtle in January after it was found floating near Sasa Port. Currently, 11 turtles are under the park’s care.
Conservation in action
Edillon credited the rise in hatchling releases to conservation efforts, including coastal clean-ups, partnerships with other organizations, and collaboration with local and national government agencies.
He cautioned, however, that clean-ups are only a temporary solution.
“Band aid solution siya pero very important siya sa effort namo diri sa park (It’s a band-aid solution, but it’s very important for our efforts here at the park)," he told SunStar Davao on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2026. "We need help man gyud na maglimpyo kay duha ka river system ang naa diha, wherein katoung mga basura na gikan dira sa river padulong tanan sa amoa (We really need help with cleaning because two river systems feed into this area, and all the trash from the rivers ends up here)," he told SunStar Davao on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2026.
A hub for environmental stewardship
Aboitiz Cleanergy Park opened to the public on April 23, 2015, as part of the company’s Cleanergy initiative, which embodies Aboitiz’s commitment to “Care for the Earth.”
The park preserves mangrove and coastal forests, nurtures coral reefs, safeguards critically endangered hawksbill turtles, and protects the 37-hectare Punta Dumalag Marine Protected Area.
Since 2014, the park has released more than 10,000 sea turtle hatchlings, planted 29,000 mangroves, and rescued 32 sea turtles. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has also designated the park as a Pawikan Rescue Center in Davao City. RGP