IT WAS my first time paddleboarding, and I wouldn’t have tried it if my companions hadn’t forced me. I was afraid I’d lose my balance, slip off the board, and drown, especially since I don’t know how to swim.
Thanks to peer pressure and constant encouragement, I managed to climb onto the paddleboard with Winston Plaza, one of the founders of Amihan sa Dahican-Balod sa Paglaom Inc., on July 21, 2025. We soon paddled into the deeper parts of Mayo Bay in Dahican, Mati City, Davao Oriental.
I was so nervous that I didn’t even know how to balance myself on the board, but Winston reassured me that all I had to do was enjoy the experience. He would take care of the balancing. I took deep breaths to calm myself, and after a few minutes of drifting across the sea, I saw my very first sea turtle in the wild. There, I spotted a sea turtle calmly resting on the seabed, and thanks to the clear waters of Mayo Bay, it was easy to see it without diving.
I thought I was lucky to witness one turtle that day, but Mother Nature had more in store for me. I ended up seeing three more! In total, I saw four sea turtles just by paddling not far from Dahican’s shoreline.
Winston even mentioned that if we had been extremely lucky, we might have seen a dugong, an animal listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and considered endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Although I didn’t get to see one, spotting four sea turtles in a single ride truly made my day.
Earlier that day, I witnessed the release of around 20 Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings, the fourth-largest species of turtle in the world. I watched as these tiny hatchlings marched across the sand and bravely faced the massive sea waves in their quest for freedom. These 20 hatchlings were part of a batch of eggs that had hatched the day before.
Challenges to conservation
During my 20-minute paddle with Winston, I came to realize how rich the seas of Mati have become; so rich that they now serve as a home for sea turtles and even the elusive dugongs. Winston said this is what keeps them going, even though their conservation efforts face numerous challenges.
Pedro Plaza Jr., one of the siblings and the current president of Amihan sa Dahican–Balod sa Paglaom Inc., revealed that one of their most serious challenges is the dwindling number of volunteers and members. With limited manpower, they can no longer effectively monitor the entire coastline.
Pedro shared that they welcome members into their community by providing food, shelter, and support for their education in exchange for helping with conservation efforts — such as coastal cleanups and night patrols for sea turtles. However, some parents believe their children are being taken advantage of, while some members lose interest, refuse to study, or stop participating in the activities altogether and eventually leave the group.
Another major setback they faced was the demolition of their structures by the city government on May 21, 2024. According to Winston, they experienced two demolitions by the Local Government Unit (LGU), resulting in the removal of their watchtower and two hatcheries. Without these structures, the turtles that return to the same spot where they hatched would lose their nesting grounds.
To recall, the LGU of Mati plans to construct a Baywatch tower along the city’s shoreline to replace the 20-year-old Amihan sa Dahican facility, which included the original turtle conservation watchtower. The LGU claimed that, since 2023, the Pawikan Hatchery had already been relocated to Menzi, an area deemed “quiet and safe.”
Despite these setbacks, the group remains committed to the cause. Today, they still operate two hatcheries, one of which currently holds multiple turtle eggs.
They also highlighted how the rapid growth of resorts and construction in the area poses a serious threat to turtle nesting sites. The constant vibrations from vehicles entering the beachfront can disrupt the hatching process.
To mitigate this, the group places wooden barriers around the nests to reduce these vibrations.
Winston emphasized that as long as what they are doing is for the environment — and as long as there are waves for their surfboards — they will continue working to preserve the habitat of sea turtles and dugongs.
“Wala mi pakialam kung unsa ang ginaingon sa amoa. Kay ngano man? Dili man kamo [ang] muhatag sa paglanghap sa nindot nga hangin, na nagdula mo diha og surf, naay tao na nag enjoy, dapat protektahan nato,” he said.
(We don't care what people say about us because why should we, when you're not the ones who give us the chance to breathe in the fresh air, while you're out there surfing and enjoying, there are people who are enjoying too, and we should protect that.)
Mark Bacalso, one of the board members of the organization, said they could have given up long ago, but their dedication persists. He explained that they earn no money from their efforts and often have to borrow just to make ends meet.
“Wala man ta nadato diri, tapal-tapal lang man ta diri. Unsa may makuha namo magbaktas-baktas kada gabii. Isa ka bulan mu-undang namo (We didn’t get rich here, we’re just patching things up to get by. What do we even gain from walking around every night? In a month, other people would probably stop),” he said.
Bacalso added that they were even offered a job opportunity to leave Mati City and move to Siargao, but they chose to stay and continue their mission to protect the sea turtles and dugongs.
Change for the better
The Plaza siblings shared that their commitment to conservation in the area is deeply rooted in their childhood. They revealed that their father was once a dynamite fisherman, and his long-term use of explosives destroyed the thousand-year-old coral reefs that served as habitats for fish.
Pedro said their father had no fear when it came to using dynamite from Mati City all the way to Pujada Bay because of the abundance of fish during that time. He wasn’t even afraid of the Barangay Kagawads who tried to stop him. In fact, he would go as far as to threaten them, saying he’d throw explosives at them.
“Kanang sa atubangan nato grabe na ang colors, pagmata nimo makita nimo kanang magsakay ka, grabe ka abunda sa isda ug corals (Right in front of us, the colors were incredible. When you wake up and go for a ride, you’ll see just how abundant the fish and corals were),” he said.
Winston added that their father even involved them in dynamite fishing. He recalled that, as children, their father would make them swim 50 meters and use dynamite to catch fish. If they refused to help, he would beat them with the bangka's oars.
The siblings said they deeply relate to the 1999 film Muro Ami (Reef Hunter), directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya and starring Cesar Montano. Winston explained that Montano’s harsh character in the film reflected how their father treated them when they were young, when they had to dive into the ocean as early as 3 to 4 a.m.
He shared that after dropping the dynamite, they would swim as far away as possible — but the shockwaves from the explosion could still be felt. The amount of fish they caught was so massive, it would take them an entire day just to collect it all.
Their father's death in 1993 from tetanus caused by injuries sustained during dynamite fishing was a turning point. That tragedy opened their eyes to the dangers and destructiveness of the methods he had introduced to them.
Winston said that this painful experience made them realize it was time to change.
The siblings agreed that their father’s passing marked a major shift in their lives. Had he not died, they admitted, they would probably still be using destructive methods to catch fish, rather than protecting marine wildlife today.
Conservation efforts
Every early morning around 5:30 a.m., the members of Amihan sa Dahican–Balod sa Paglaom Inc. conduct a coastal clean-up, picking up litter brought in by the waves and left behind by visitors. As I joined them in collecting trash, I noticed how even the smallest pieces of plastic were carefully picked up by one of the members, highlighting that no matter how small, trash can cause significant damage to the natural ecosystem.
While cleaning up, we collected various types of waste, such as bottle caps, plastic wrappers, cigarette butts, and even plastic toothbrushes. The members shared that they need more volunteers to help them gather the remaining microplastics, as the current number of people is not enough to clean the area completely.
In addition to collecting non-biodegradable waste, the members also take time to clean up fallen leaves and other biodegradable litter along the coastline to ensure the beach remains spotless and appealing to visitors. The collected biodegradable waste is then buried and used for composting.
The group also monitors the nesting of sea turtles. Every night, they conduct scheduled patrols to ensure the turtles and their eggs are safe from poachers. They maintain two hatcheries in the area where turtles can safely lay their eggs without disturbance.
Winston reported that from October 2024 to June 2025, a total of 20,260 sea turtle eggs were collected by their group. These eggs are transferred to their hatchery, and it usually takes around two months for them to hatch.
He said that in Mayo Bay, three types of sea turtles typically lay eggs along the coast: the Olive Ridley Turtle, the Hawksbill Turtle, and the Green Sea Turtle.
Five of the seven turtle species around the world can be found in the Philippines. These are: Green Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Olive Ridley Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle, and Leatherback Turtle.
The group also promotes ecotourism by educating both local and international tourists. They emphasize that it is perfectly fine to surf, paddleboard, and skimboard as long as visitors do not leave their trash behind. They advocate for a harmonious coexistence between humans and marine wildlife in Mayo Bay.
To remind visitors of the long-lasting damage caused by plastic waste, the group installed signage showing how long it takes for plastic and rubber materials to decompose.
Winston said that before beachgoers enter the area, they are informed through the signage about the dangers of plastic and are reminded to take their trash with them when they leave.
Hopeful for the future
The siblings said that with the new administration, they hope to pursue their conservation efforts with the support of the Local Government Unit (LGU), thereby strengthening their initiatives to protect wildlife.
Pedro shared that they have not yet had the chance to speak with the newly elected mayor of Mati City, but they remain hopeful that they can lobby for legislation that will protect Mayo Bay for future generations.
He added that they are planning to connect with local schools to raise awareness among the youth about conservation. He said that several Youth for Environment in Schools Organizations (YES-O) from local schools have already partnered with them in conducting coastal clean-ups, and they expect these collaborations to grow as they expand their awareness campaigns.
Winston expressed their intention to once again lobby their cause to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other relevant agencies, hoping to bring attention back to the urgent conservation issues in Mayo Bay.
Having witnessed firsthand the richness of marine biodiversity in Dahican, I now understand why the Plaza siblings and the other volunteers of Amihan sa Dahican are so determined to protect the environment and the animals living in it. They are not only safeguarding the lives of endangered species, but they are also ensuring that future generations will still have the chance to witness the natural beauty of Mayo Bay.
Amihan sa Dahican–Balod sa Paglaom Inc. was founded in 2004 by the Plaza siblings. They initially began by promoting skimboarding in Dahican. What started as a small group gradually grew in number, expanding to promote surfing and ecotourism, particularly with the presence of sea turtles and dugongs in the area. RGP