DENR to curb illegal wildlife trade

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas vowed to put more teeth into the Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act amid reports of continued wildlife trading.

Ariel Rica, chief of the Enforcement Division of the DENR-7, said the department is strengthening the enforcement of wildlife and environmental laws in all seaports and airports in Region 7.

Among the department’s efforts is the campaign against wildlife trading, including pawikan or sea turtle.

Pawikan are illegally sold for soup or stew, which has become popular in the downtown villages of Pasil and San Nicolas in Cebu City.

Stewed pawikan are reportedly being sold in several carenderias in the said barangays.

Based on reports, a kilo of pawikan costs P250 to P350 a kilo, depending on the supply, which comes from the province of Bohol and some areas in Mindanao.

There has been public pressure on the local government to stop the sale of the soup in local eateries since the local media exposed the underground trade.

Rica said they are constantly monitoring these areas to penalize violators.

Under RA 9147, anyone who is involved in the selling and trade of pawikan meat shall be imprisoned for two years and is mandated to pay a fine of up to P200,000.

The same penalty applies for anyone who eats the meat of the endangered species.

A stiffer penalty of four to six years of imprisonment as well as a fine of P500,000 await the person who slaughter the pawikan, an endangered species.

The pawikan (green sea turtles) is on the list of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

As a signatory of CITES, the Philippines, through the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the Department of DENR, is taking steps to conserve sea turtles.

Rica said the department’s Task Force Pawikan arrested a carenderia owner last year for selling stew made of pawikan.

"Di gyod ko moingon nga zero na pero duna gyod tay nadakpan last year. Tungod man na anang istoryanga makapalig-on kuno's kabukogan," he said.

For his part, Algem Cris Crusis, the co-founder of PaWeCan Do It movement, a non-government organization, the demand for pawikan meat has kept the trade going.

He also attributed the continuous catching and selling of pawikans to poverty.

"I think the problem in Pasil has nothing to do with strict implementation and monitoring, their local DENR can do that. Instead, the lack of conducting effective educational campaigns and providing  alternative livelihoods for pawikan stew sellers might be the main reasons why until now the problem is still prevailing," he said.

The movement was formed to conserve and protect marine turtles through and capacity building activities. (FREEMAN)