She is known as the savior of critically endangered species to maintain ecological balance. Just like any other animal species, Marites Gatan-Balbas, Director for Operations of Mabuyawa Foundation, Incorporated, believes that crocodiles are also important to the environment.

For her, when a crocodile population has been decimated, action needs to be taken to make sure that the population bounces back to decent numbers. 

Marites, as she is called by many, has been a private employee for 29 years working with communities, local and national governments, and other stakeholders in biodiversity conservation in the Northern Sierra Madre Mountains.

She graduated from ISU-Cabagan campus with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Forestry, major in Social Forestry.  Before her current position, Marites started her career as a community organizer at the then Ilagan Hydro Power Plant Project funded by the National Power Corporation. She also joined Plan International Philippines, a Dutch-funded conservation project at the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park from 1996 to 2001, and later worked at the World Wildlife Fund, for the same commitment---biodiversity conservation and preservation.

Marites also paved the way for the declaration of the Philippine crocodile and flying fox sanctuary in Divilacan, Isabela. She capacitated the Bantay Kalikasan Brigade under the office of the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, wherein at least 50 captive-bred Philippine Crocodiles were released back to the wild—the first ever released crocodiles that came from Palawan Wildlife Research and Conservation Center (PWRCC).

She worked with the Local Government Units, Indigenous Peoples, and Local Communities in Cagayan province in the declaration of their critical areas as local sanctuaries and helped the indigenous communities secure their Certificate of Ancestral Domain Titles (CADT) and the development of Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP).

She also helped the Local Government Unit of Baggao, Cagayan in the declaration of their sanctuaries for Isabela Oriole and Flying Foxes and assisted the LGU in the development of their conservation and management plan for the area.

“Even the species that are doing well need to be managed carefully since some species can become a problem for local people, their pets, and livestock,” Balbas said.

For a better understanding of environment and biodiversity protection, Marites led various communication education ,and public awareness campaigns for local communities and government agencies such as lectures, puppet shows, school field trips to crocodile sanctuaries, and community consultations to appreciate the protection of wildlife species.

She said the creation of locally-managed crocodile sanctuaries of the foundation runs a "headstart" program that involves nest-searching and 24-hour guard, collecting the hatchlings and bringing them to the rearing station for 18-24 months, then releasing them back into the wild.

"The power of involving the local communities in the protection program is very effective because they see the ownership and the pride of being involved in the conservation of the species,” Balbas said, adding that communication is the key to gaining the respect of the people for the crocodiles and that campaigns should start from a young age.

She said their target is to get the crocodile delisted from its critically endangered status and see a 10% increase in its population each year.

"If we can save the Philippine crocodile even if most of the people viewed them as scary reptiles and something to be feared, then I believe we can save all other critically endangered species in our country from the brink of extinction,” Balbas said.

Aside from her commitment to the conservation and management of Philippine crocodiles, she extended her expertise to the Agta communities in the development of their Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan. She even organized the Indigenous Peoples Organization and trained them on the use of non-timber forest products such as making rattan baskets, chairs etc. 

She was involved in the organization of women and youth and worked with them on additional livelihood opportunities such as the establishment of home gardens, food preparation and processing, and tourism activities. 

“We also established at least 100 hectares of agroforestry and reforestation projects with the Community Based Forest Management holders and individual farmers, and provided vegetable seeds for women for their home gardens,” Balbas said. 

Aside from helping the Agtas in the survey and delineation of their ancestral domains, she also organized and registered the Agta Diget ti Palaui Island organization in Santa Ana, Cagayan at the Department of Labor and Employment. 

Having a heart for the IP community, she helped in the establishment of an Agta Cultural Learning Center and homestay in the same town. The foundation, through her initiative, organized the Agta Youth Theater group where the members perform during occasions such as schools’ Foundation Day, IP Month celebration, and Municipal Foundation Day. 

She is very generous in sharing her expertise about the Philippine crocodile, flying foxes, Northern Sierra Madre, and biodiversity conservation in local and international invitations.

She has trained almost a hundred Science teachers on teaching biodiversity conservation both in Isabela and Cagayan provinces, including community volunteers in law enforcement, biodiversity monitoring surveys, and land use planning.

Because of her exemplary performance and the numerous meaningful activities she initiated, she was recognized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Region 2 in June 2023 for her advocacy in protecting and conserving the Philippine Crocodile and other threatened species in Northern Luzon particularly in Northern Sierra Madre and in assisting communities, Local Government Units and DENR in implementing a holistic conservation program.

Aside from the Outstanding Alumni given by the College of Forestry and Environmental Management of ISU Cabagan, she was also honored at the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Manila with a Biodiversity Recognition Award in June 2017.

With her dedication to her craft, Marites was the first Filipino to win the prestigious international Whitley Award in 2014. With this, the DENR-BMB recognized her for her determined efforts to conserve the Philippine crocodile, and other threatened species, in northern Luzon and for bringing honor to the country. 

Her triumph didn’t stop her from soaring high as she showed to do more in her field of expertise. She was involved in several research topics about IPs, biodiversity, agroforestry, water management, and land-use change. She was also instrumental and contributed to the research and publication of numerous books on Philippine crocodiles in the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park.

Despite all the feathers added to her cap, she never sought the limelight nor bragged about her remarkable accomplishments. Her advocacy may be odd for some, but for Marites, she simply wanted to fulfill her devotion—making crocodiles an indispensable part of natural environments. ### (ALM/MGE PIA Region 2)