The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported an increase in nesting sites for marine turtles to 17,593 last year, offering relief to conservation efforts for the endangered species. Five out of seven species of marine turtles, locally known as pawikan, can be found in the Philippines. Amid the protection efforts, the pawikan remain endangered and are threatened by hunting and poaching, trade, pollution, climate change, and many more. Recently, photos of distressed and dead marine turtles have been splashed all over the news, pushing the need for greater monitoring of Philippine seas. These marine turtles provide large contributions to balancing biodiversity in the world’s oceans. They facilitate nutrient transfer from water to land and vice-versa, thus providing healthy ecosystems in both water and land.

New manual on rescue, rehabilitation of 'pawikan'. (2015, June 2). The Manila Times, p. B8.