DENR execs start drive versus “pawikan” trade

CEBU, Philippines - Marking the local celebration of Earth Day, environment officials paid a surprise visit at the area most notable to be selling endangered turtle stew.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources– Central Visayas (DENR7) kicked off its information campaign to stop the illegal pawikan trade in coastal Barangay Pasil.

Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo Jr. along with members of the Pawikan Taskforce went to Pasil and put up a tarpaulin across the store of an eatery citing provision of the RA 9147 also known as Wildlife Protection and Conservation Act of the Philippines.

Crisly Tulod, owner of a “carenderia” at Sitio Flores, Barangay Pasil was approached by Montejo to discuss the negative effects of selling pawikan meat to patrons, mostly males.

“Kasagaran sa mga moanhi mangita sa pawikan kay gusto sila molagsik ilang lawas,” Tulod told Montejo.

Her grandmother’s business of selling and cooking ‘pawikan’ stew was passed on to Tulod, owner of the first store to sell the exotic dish.

People come to their make-shift eatery in front of their house along the crowded Flores street in Barangay Pasil, Cebu City to look for their best selling green sea turtle stew.

“Daghan mangita kay pampa-init daw sa ilang lawas. Ang mga insik kay muingon na pampanindot sa panit ang atay. Ang unod dili kaayo pangita-on. Ang tambok maoy pampainit sa lawas,” Tulod said.

The eatery is considered to be pioneers when it comes to selling pawikan stew.

“We are posting notice. It’s better to be acted upon rather than not doing anything at all. My presence shows that we are serious in this,” Montejo said.

Montejo and the rest of the DENR officials did not check nearby eateries even after passing them on their way to Tulod’s stall.

Tulod said their business started since she was young and was passed on from her grandmother Beatriz Limbaga-Badal who is now 81 years old.

Aside from pawikan stew, they are also selling tinolang isda.  She said DENR approached them last January and was told to stop selling pawikan stew.

Under RA 9147, selling, catching and slaughtering of green sea turtle is strictly prohibited. She said she knows eating, selling, and buying pawikan meat is illegal but last March, a vendor approached her and pleaded to buy the five-kilo pawikan meat.

“Ni hunong naman unta mi pero kato nga time naay namaligya lima ka kilo. Ako gidawat kay niingon man sya na iya ipalit og bugas,” Tulod said.

She said they receive the turtle meat without its carapace but they determine it through its distinct smell and it has a lot of fats.

Meanwhile, DENR-7 released last month three green sea turtles to their natural habitat in Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Lapu-Lapu City after being rescued from a private zoo in Cebu City who agreed for its release.

Aside from the turtles the zoo has endangered species on display but the owners could not present documents.

Montejo said they are waiting for the establishment to comply with the documents required by them. Zoo owners have until April 30 to do this before the agency will decide to pursue legal actions against them.  (FREEMAN)