WVSU opens Sea Turtle Nook for conservation

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West Visayas State University inaugurated the Sea Turtle Nook on March 6, 2026, at the University Learning Resource Center, positioning the new space as a symbol of hope for marine conservation and environmental awareness.

WVSU President Joselito F. Villaruz said the Sea Turtle Nook is more than an installation because it serves as a call to learn and an invitation for students, educators and visitors to recognize their shared responsibility in protecting marine ecosystems.

The initiative builds on the Sanctuarium Maris: Sea Turtle Nest Protection Project, which WVSU’s DagYoung Student Ambassadors launched in January 2025 with the Positive Youth Development Network, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Federated Student Council and the Development Communicators’ Society, with support from the Embassy of France to the Philippines and Micronesia.

Since its launch, the project has worked with the coastal community of Barangay Atabayan in Tigbauan, Iloilo, through training on sea turtle biology, conservation practices, rescue protocols and nest protection.

WVSU International and Local Linkages Office Director Edel Carmela S. Subong-Csoka said the Sea Turtle Nook reflects the combined efforts of youth leaders, local communities, academic institutions, government agencies and international partners working toward the shared goal of protecting marine life for future generations.

The project’s broader conservation work has focused on Barangay Atabayan, which WVSU has identified as a key nesting site for olive ridley turtles, a species classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

WVSU said the Sanctuarium Maris project was designed not only to protect turtle nests, but also to help the community become active stewards of its marine resources through sustained education and local participation.

Community representative Peter Paul Cadano, Sangguniang Kabataan chairman of Barangay Atabayan, thanked partners for the collaboration and described the nook as a reminder that environmental protection begins with awareness and shared responsibility.

Jessie L. Reyes of DENR Region VI said the agency will continue working with WVSU, adding that marine conservation efforts in Western Visayas are entering a stronger and more hopeful chapter.

Special Projects Coordinator Johnric G. Vargas said the Sea Turtle Nook is not a temporary exhibit, but a lasting legacy that turns education into action and encourages future generations of Taga-West to care for the environment beyond the classroom.

WVSU said the Sea Turtle Nook carries a simple but powerful message that even small spaces can create waves of change for the planet.

The university’s sea turtle conservation campaign has expanded beyond awareness activities, with WVSU reporting in 2025 that the initiative also included seminar-training sessions, community mobilization and support for stronger local protection measures in Tigbauan.

By linking a campus learning space to field-based conservation work, WVSU is reinforcing its message that environmental stewardship begins with education and is sustained through partnerships with communities, government and young leaders. (WVSU International and Local Linkages Office – ILLO)