The Pawikan Craze 2007

In spite of everything, I joined the 2007 Pawikan Festival!

Ed, Bebang and I had all the reasons not to go to Bataan for the Pawikan Festival. There were typhoons or at least heavy rains, we had no means of transportation to go to Morong from Balanga, much of our supposed companions backed out, Trillanes walked out of a court hearing, occupied the second floor of Manila Peninsula and asked for GMA's resignation, the military/police (who?) were ready to destryo the luxury hotel just to arrest the senator and a military official, and there was a 12:00-5:00 AM curfew.

Still, we pushed through with our plans. Hooray for us! Hahaha! It was really a delight to see the baby pawikans reach the sea. I was part of a grand plan in the conservation of Olive Ridley (the species to be found in Bataan, the smallest in the world).

SOME QUICK INFO FIRST

Transportation:

We took a cab -- P105. Cheaper method -- Take the MRT and alight at the Taft Station. The bus terminal is at the north-bound side of EDSA.

We rode the Genesis bus to reach Balanga -- P136. In Balanga Genesis terminal, we took a tricycle to go to our hotel -- P24 at P8 each.

From Balanga to Morong, we took the bus ride arranged by the tourism office. That was a long one-hour ride for a hungry person like me.

Accommodation:

We were supposed to camp in Morong. However, at 11:00 PM there was no transportation available anymore to get us there. Hence, we stayed for a while in a local hotel. Courtesy of the Bataan Tourism Office, we were booked at Elison Hotel.

The hotel was quite expensive for our budget -- P1,350 for the three of us. That's an air-conditioned room with two beds, with an extra cushioned folding bed, cable TV, hot water, a couple packs of bath essentials and a nice comfort room.


Elison Hotel, Balanga, Bataan. This was where we stayed for the night.

Food:

For the Thursday dinner, we had Jollibee.

For the Friday breakfast, we had small ube breads in packs of 6 -- P6 each or P12 for the two packs.

For the early lunch, we had pasta at a local small carinderia in Nagbalayong -- P10 each for the pasta (palabok and spaghetti), P5 each pancake, and P7.50 for a bottle of Cheers. Our total bill was P55 -- very affordable. The people were very warm, too.

I forgot the digicam at home, Ed's got the beautiful photos using his Canon PowerShot A550, and here they are.

PRE-WALK
Before the Walk for a Cause began, we enjoyed ourselves with the beautiful scenery around us. The breeze was cool, the air so fresh, and the jolly conversations of the people were amusing.


While waiting for the Walk to start.

THE WALK FOR A CAUSE
Then the walk began... We joined the force of the LANDBANK in Bataan, with scenic view feasting my eyes and senses.


Finally reaching Brgy. Nagbalayong, where the Pawikan Conservation Center is located.






With a program and the whole bunch of people and goodies to complete the festival.



THE RELEASE OF THE HATCHLINGS TO THE SEA
Finally, the much-awaited event: releasing those baby pawikans to the sea of Morong.


A volunteer holding a box containing a handful of the baby pawikans.

Here they are!



A little baby pawikan in the hands of a young lady (left), and another volunteer holding two of those tiny creatures (right).


That's me holding a poor baby pawikan. (Salarin! That little pawikan has already reached the sea, but was retrieved by a boy, who gave it to me for this cruel photo-op.)

Here are some videos for you to see how they struggle to reach the sea:








A GREAT EXPERIENCE
Joining the Pawikan Festival has indeed been a great experience, even if Bebang, Ed and I went there just for the "trip" to see the pawikans being released to the sea. I have finally learned the difference between a pawikan and a pagong. The use of those two terms to refer a turtle has really confused me -- any difference? Apparently, a pawikan is a sea turtle, while a pagong is a fresh water turtle. Also, the pagong can make its body "retreat" (don't know the right word) to its shell for protection, while a pawikan can't.

It was thrilling to learn that the pawikans we have released to the sea would return to that same shore some 25 to 30 years later to lay their eggs. However, only a very small fraction (less than 1%?) would survive and reach maturity. For more accurate information about sea turtles, please do your research na lang :)

The Pawikan Festival 2007, which I have learned via e-mail from the tourism office of Bataan, and which my friends and I have been able to join with the assistance of Ms Techie and Ms Rochelle of the tourism force of the province, had hundreds of people taking part in it. See this:




ON THE WAY HOME...AND ANOTHER TRIP
The original unplanned plan was to go to Corregidor after the release of the hatchlings to the sea. However, as we learned from one local there, Corregidor is quite far from Morong. SBMA is more accessible. Greatly advantageous to me, I concurred to go to SBMA instead.


This was the foot bridge that I found very difficult to pass. Kids and even a goat crossed it without trouble, like simply walking on a normal and even paved street. (I was hungry, so hungry that I was feeling a bit dizzy, and I was thinking about my phone!)


Bebang's Chikiting (left) and us (right) waiting for the mini bus in Nagbalayong plaza.


In the old mini bus that we rode on our way to SBMA.


Bakit may video pa? Gusto ko e. Hehehe.


That was the first time I ever entered the Morong Gate to go to SBMA. We travelled in the mountain! The breeze was so cool and cold that I had to wear a jacket at noon. The view was scenic. Refreshing!

In SBMA, we went to Meat Plus and ate the burger I was craving for months or even years already. Their burger's my favorite burger, although it was better (way better) the last time I ate there (years ago).

Then, since Mon was also on his way home and near SBMA that time already, he met us there. Afterwards, we went to Royal to buy Bebang's favorite chocolate - Twix. A nice trip to conclude a nicer trip. :)

Related links:
photos from my motorola w510
phtotos by ed with his Canon Powershot A550
video clips from my phone
my original post announcing the pawikan festival 2007
my initial blog entry documenting our trip