Where Light and Darkness Meet, Life is Born
By: Rowell B. Timoteo - La Union COMMunity Press Corps | Photos By: Rowell B. Timoteo | Date: July 4, 2024
Walking barefoot on the sand at midnight, Jessie Cabagbag, 41, a fisherman and a volunteer sea turtle patroller from Barangay Baroro, Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, surveyed the solitary darkness of the coastline of Baroro in hopes of finding an adult female sea turtle crawling ashore to lay eggs. Equipped with his headlamp, a pail, and a wooden stick, Jessie Cabagbag moved forward on his journey until he spotted a direction of turtle crawls going up to the shore beyond the high tide line.
After reaching 1.9 kilometers of his patrol and finished resting, Cabagbag walked back to his home while securing the safety of the newly found eggs with him. He then traveled immediately to the Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions (CURMA) Egg Hatchery in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, to turn over the eggs where they would be protected, incubate them until they had hatched, and then release them as baby sea turtles to the sea. CURMA is a group in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, spearheading the conservation programs for sea turtles. They built an alliance with ex-poachers and were able to convert them into the protectors of sea turtles. For years, CURMA has led communities in creating a safer environment for sea turtles in the Province of La Union, Philippines.
To Jessie Cabagbag, who is actively involved in sea turtle conservation, finding turtle eggs during their night patrol is a validation of their commitment and hard work. Making it a significant moment for the people who dedicated their lives to protecting these sea creatures. He used his bare hands to scoop out the sand little by little until he reached the eggs and one by one, he delicately transferred the eggs to his pail. In his younger years, he was a poacher. They slaughter turtles to sell them or eat their meat, including the eggs. Life back then was difficult for Jessie and his elders; it was part of their survival. He grew up hunting turtles due to financial reasons, as fishing was their only means of livelihood. There were no educational programs or awareness campaigns to help his community have a better understanding of the importance of conserving sea life in the locality in those times.
Jessie Cabagbag and other ex-poachers are now committed to the long-term preservation of the lives of sea turtles. Cabagbag stopped poaching, and now he is actively collaborating with conservation organizations and government agencies by participating in a series of community-based training and mentorships, livelihood development engagement, volunteer work for night patrols, and continuous education to preserve local biodiversity. He abandoned the illegal and unsustainable practice of poaching and became a protector of the turtles. Over the years of patrolling the seashores of Barangay Baroro, Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, Cabagbag transported more than 1,000 eggs to CURMA. They paid him an incentive of 1,920 pesos, or the equivalent of $35.52, for the 96 eggs he collected during his patrol on December 13, 2023. A turtle patroller receives 20 pesos, or $0.37, from CURMA for each of the eggs collected. This provision of economic incentives is highly effective because it improves the capacity and livelihood of the turtle patrollers and alleviates some economic challenges while rendering volunteer work. This initiative helps cultivate strong community support for turtle preservation efforts, and it becomes an integral part of the strategy to promote a lasting marine turtle conservation program.
Turtles are also known as "keystone species," which signifies good luck, wisdom, and longevity in different cultures. Protecting and preserving a safer habitat for sea turtles is a life-changer for all ex-poachers who later became turtle protectors. Cabagbag continues to contribute more to his community. He formed and became the President of the Assosasyon ti Mangngalap ken Mannalon iti Baroro, Bacnotan, La Union, Inc. (Fisherman and Farmers Association) in 2020 up to the present, a Secretary of the Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management (MFARMC), President of Empowerment and Reaffirmation of Paternal Abilities (ERPAT), and continued to fish during the daytime and volunteer as a sea turtle patroller at night. His love for sea turtles allows Cabagbag to connect with people committed to making a change. His proudest achievement is that he became an inspiration to his wife, Jonibel, and three children with his long-term involvement and passion for ensuring the well-being of sea turtles and their survival for future generations.
It's a magical moment to look forward to seeing these 96 turtle eggs saved by Jessie Cabagbag during his night patrol on the 13th of December, 2023, hatch after 50–60 days, and safely go back to the sea. In the next 10–20 years, they will find their way back as adult sea turtles, to the beach where they first saw the light and the very place where they were born.
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