With its white sand beaches, sprinkled with exotic shells freshly washed up from the seabed, crystal clear waters, rock formations, a lighthouse, and a sandbar shifting to the whims and waves of the open Visayan Sea, Higatangan Island has been luring not only tourists from near and far but four-flippered sea turtles as well.

Reputed to be the place where former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and his party sought refuge from the Japanese during World War II, the beautiful island in Naval, Biliran is set to become an even more popular destination as the local government unit plans to establish a marine turtle sanctuary in the western part of the island. 

Spearheaded by Naval Mayor Gretchen Stephanie M. Espina, the initiative is a response to the growing need to preserve the nesting grounds of these magnificent creatures and protect the island's marine ecosystem.

Espina was inspired to undertake this initiative after spotting a Loggerhead marine turtle while kayaking with her mother, Dr. Cecil M. Espina, during last year's Higatangan Island Summer (HIS) Festival.

This year, the LGU took initial steps to ensure that the HIS Festival does not disrupt the marine turtle habitat by relocating major activities to the shifting sandbar area to avoid disturbing the possible nesting grounds.

Additionally, island residents have been educated about proper waste segregation and discouraged from throwing garbage into the sea, which can harm turtles and other marine creatures.

With the establishment of a turtle sanctuary, Espina hopes to attract more visitors to the island, while also educating them about the importance of marine conservation.

Rowel Amazona, a news correspondent of both local and national media outlets and a frequent visitor to the island, expressed his approval of the LGU's plan to establish a marine turtle sanctuary. 

"Establishing a marine turtle sanctuary will not only create additional attraction to tourists but will also pave the way to educating locals and tourists about how important sea turtles are in conservation efforts since turtles maintain grass beds to be healthy and ensure coral reefs remain strong and healthy," Amazona added.

According to Maria Cristina A. Santos, information officer-designate of PENRO-Biliran, the presence of marine turtles on the island suggests that there may be a significant hatching area nearby.

“The hatching area of the marine turtle should be free from human intervention so it will not be disturbed,” Santos emphasized.

Santos further shared that the female turtles usually nest at night, preferring isolated beaches. After locating a nesting site, they dig a body pit and then excavate a pear-shaped egg pit with their hind flippers. They lay about a hundred eggs, two to three at a time, before covering the entire nest with sand and then leaving the area. The whole process takes approximately two hours to complete, nesting several times in one season, with intervals of around two weeks.

She further said that after nesting, the female turtle returns to the sea and only comes back to the same beach after two to four years to nest again. It takes around 52 to 61 days for the eggs to hatch. 

Santos revealed that the Philippines is home to five out of the seven types of turtles in the world, including the Green Sea Turtle, Olive Ridley, Hawksbill, Loggerhead, and Leatherback. 

By establishing a turtle sanctuary, the government is doing its part to protect these creatures and educate locals and visitors alike about the importance of marine conservation. It highlights the need for conservation for generations to come, ensuring that sea turtles thrive in their natural habitat. (RSV, PIA Biliran)