By HENRY EMPEÑO

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Three government agencies and two private organizations on Friday formed a partnership here to intensify protection efforts for sea turtles and regenerate coral reefs to save the marine environment in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through its Zambales office led the initiative and signed an agreement for the marine resources conservation project with resort operator Brighterday Subic Ltd., Inc. (BSLI), the non-government organization Sangkalikasan Producer Cooperative, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Group.

Zambales provincial environment and natural resources officer Marife Castillo said the partnership was formed as the agency observed the “Month of the Ocean”, which carries this year’s theme “Protect and Restore Ecosystems and Biodiversity.”

The marine turtle or pawikan, which is recognized as critically endangered species, is among the species found within the territorial waters of the Subic Bay Freeport, Castillo said.

The DENR is mandated under Executive Order No. 192 as the primary government agency to oversee the development, conservation and management of coastal and marine environment and resources and the maintenance of ecological balance.

Under the agreement, Brighterday Subic, which operates the popular All Hands Beach Resort here, undertakes to put up a coral nursery along the coastal waters of its beachfront to help enhance and rehabilitate coral reefs in the area.

At the same time, BSLI will establish a pawikan hatchery in its area to support the government’s marine turtle conservation program and help ensure the perpetuation of the endangered turtle species.

BSLI chairman Mark Dayrit said his company has already released about 8,000 sea turtles that were hatched at the resort ever since All Hands Beach opened in 2012.

With the new agreement, BSLI will further collaborate with the Zambales DENR office and the SBMA in managing the marine turtle nesting site, ensure vigilant monitoring of pawikan sightings and coral augmentation and prepare periodic reports on these projects, and provide logistical support to the SBMA Harbor Patrol for marine resources maintenance and protection activities.

Meanwhile, Sangkalikasan, which is an NGO based in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, will spearhead the “Reef Buds” coral nursery project by dropping coral buds some 50 meters from the All Hands beachfront. It will also conduct baseline assessment and monthly monitoring of the reef buds; undertake actual maintenance and protection of the coral nursery site; and present the project results for the purpose of disseminating information and technology generated from the project.

On the other hand, the SBMA, which has direct jurisdiction over the Subic Bay Freeport, is expected to support, strengthen and enforce existing laws and regulations to conserve the sea turtles and protect their local habitats.

The SBMA will be assisted in this task by the PNP Maritime Group, which shall also provide manpower, marine vessels, technical assistance and other support for the protection of wildlife species. ~