Aboitiz Land is off to a great start in 2023, receiving awards from the Philippine chapter of the Paris-based International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI). Commended for its environmental efforts at Seafront Residences, Aboitiz Land innovates to create living spaces that drive sustainability in its communities and the environment.
The FIABCI Philippines Property and Real Estate Excellence Awards held last February 21 recognized two of Aboitiz Land’s developments in Luzon. Seafront Residences received the Silver Award in the Environmental Category, while The Villages at Lipa earned the Silver Award in the Residential Low Rise Category.
FIABCI Philippines Property and Real Estate Excellence recognizes pawikan conservation efforts at Seafront Residences. In photo (from left): FIABCI World President-Elect Budiarsa Sastriwanata, FIABCI-Philippines Chairman Arch. Nestor S. Mangio, Aboitiz Land President and CEO David Rafael, and Special Envoy to Japan and FIABCI Philippines Chairman Reghis M. Romero II.
Seafront Residences takes seaside community living further with its Pawikan Nature Reserve. The entire 43-hectare beachside development, including the shoreline, has been officially designated as a prime nesting ground for endangered pawikans.
Seafront Residences culminates its five-year Pawikan Conservation Project
Seafront Residences culminated its five-year Seafront Pawikan Conservation Project last February 5 with Aboitiz Land’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team and Project Development and Management Group, University of the Philippines representatives, and Municipal Environment Resources Office representatives.
As part of its conservation efforts, the seaside community along with its vecinos, Aboitiz Land’s term of endearment for their homeowners taken from the Spanish word for “neighbors,” helped release 126 pawikans along its shores. After releasing the pawikans, the process and importance of nest excavations were taught to surrounding communities, including the children who participated in the program.
With the culmination of the five-year program, the vecinos and the neighboring communities have been engaged and equipped with the knowledge to ensure that the natural cycle of the pawikans remains undisrupted.
Caring for the future
After the culmination of the five-year program, a new phase will start during the Pawikan Nesting Season for 2023 to 2024.
Aboitiz Land’s Pawikan Conservation Project entails a five-year management plan to protect and preserve sea turtles or pawikans through research, proper monitoring, the establishment of hatchling facilities, and a community education drive.
The pawikans and their nesting places have been studied and profiled closely over the first two years of implementation. Beach zones were also designated in Barangay Calubcub II to locate, assess, and secure sea turtle nesting locations.
Since the program was implemented, an average of 10 nests has been recorded per season and the eggs have an average hatching rate of 78%. Aboitiz Land has now cared for 51 nests with 4,358 eggs and released 2,563 hatchlings back into the ocean.
Pawikans an endangered species
The Philippines is the center of animal diversity and is home to five out of seven species of pawikan that can be found around the world. Pawikans keep oceans healthy by nourishing seagrass beds and coral reefs. As destructive human activity increases, however, sea turtle populations are endangered. With their role in the marine ecosystem, protecting their nesting sites becomes crucial to preserve their population.
Commitment to sustainability beyond its home and communities
Aboitiz Land implements regular reviews of Seafront Residences’ masterplan to protect and nurture the pawikans’ thriving ecosystem.
The Pawikan Conservation Project will continue to work towards the preservation of sea turtles in the coming years. Through this initiative, Aboitiz Land and Seafront Residences commit to environmentally-sensitive planning while delivering sustainable developments and homes that may be passed onto future generations.
Seafront Residences is a premium beach community in Brgy. Calubcub II, San Juan, Batangas, which offers a variety of residential units, such as houses designed by Budji+Royal, residential lots, and villas or beach condominiums. With interconnected pedestrian paths that make the beach and other amenities within reach in more or less five minutes, vecinos are enriched with a harmonious balance of nature and top-of-the-line recreation activities in this exclusive address.
