The Pawikan Conservation Project in Ilocos Norte, Philippines has released around 1,160 Olive Ridley sea turtle hatchlings into the ocean so far this season. It is the strongest result since launching in 2022 and more than in all previous seasons combined.
The project is a partnership between The Mead Foundation (TMF) and Nuevo Solar Energy Corp, a joint venture between Vena Group and MGen Renewable Energy, with support from the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte. Together, they work to protect sea turtle nesting sites along the Ilocos Norte coastline, collect and safeguard eggs in a dedicated hatchery, and release hatchlings back into the sea.
One release event from this season illustrates the project in action. In November 2025, 174 eggs were retrieved from nesting sites in Baccara and Laoag and relocated to the TMF hatchery at Sitio Remedios Heritage Village in Currimao. After a 52-day incubation period, 151 hatched – an 86.7% hatch rate.
In December, Vena Group representatives joined partners from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office of Currimao and the Philippine Coast Guard at dawn to release 52 hatchlings onto the beach.
Since the project launched in November 2022, a total of 4,053 eggs have been collected and 2,007 hatchlings released, with this season alone accounting for more than half of all releases to date.
The Philippines is home to five of the world’s seven sea turtle species – the Green Turtle, Hawksbill, Leatherback, Olive Ridley and Loggerhead – making it one of the most significant nesting regions in the world. Ilocos Norte sits within this critical habitat, and the long-term goal of the project is to improve hatchling survival rates while building lasting conservation awareness in local communities.
Beyond the hatchery work, community engagement has been a core part of the project. In October 2025, a Pawikan Ranger Training program was held at Sitio Remedios Heritage Village with 43 participants from government agencies, the Philippine Coast Guard and local communities. This was followed by an awareness program reaching 80 community members across nine barangays in the Municipalities of Currimao and Paoay.
Vena Group has green energy projects operating and under construction in Ilocos Norte. The Pawikan Conservation Project reflects the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship in the communities where it operates.
