A Remarkable Journey Begins on Banwa
Team Banwa’s continuing commitment to protecting marine turtles and caring for the island’s natural environment.
Endangered Hawksbill Turtle hatchlings emerging from their protected nest site on Banwa and making their way to the sea.
PALAWAN, PHILIPPINES — September 2026 — On Banwa Private Island, conservation is part of everyday island life. From monitoring turtle nests and recording wildlife sightings to observing the marine environment surrounding the island, Team Banwa shares a responsibility to understand and care for the natural world around them.
That commitment was strengthened recently through a three-day Marine Turtle Conservation Training, held from 19 to 21 August 2026 for members of Team Banwa.
Led by conservation specialists Dr. Teri Aquino, Dr. AA Yaptinchay and Dr. Rizza Salinas, the training deepened the team’s understanding of marine turtle biology, conservation and monitoring, together with responsible practices around nesting activity and encounters with these remarkable species.
The training is part of a wider effort to ensure that conservation knowledge is shared across the island team and becomes part of how Banwa is cared for each day.
Working alongside Team Banwa is Bernard Bonares, Aquos Foundation Guardian, who helps oversee the island’s ongoing conservation activities. These include monitoring marine turtle nesting activity, recording wildlife observations and supporting initiatives that contribute to a better understanding of the biodiversity found on and around Banwa.
The work is particularly meaningful on an island where nature is constantly present. Banwa’s shores provide nesting habitat for marine turtles, including the critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle. Recently, hatchlings were captured emerging from a protected nest on the island and making their first journey across the sand towards the sea.
In August, a tagged Hawksbill also returned to Coconut Grove to nest and was identified as the same turtle that had nested on Banwa only a month earlier, adding another valuable record to the island’s continuing monitoring efforts.
Beyond marine turtles, Banwa and its surrounding waters support a rich diversity of life, from reef fish and giant clams to juvenile Blacktip Reef Sharks, seabirds and other wildlife. Through the Aquos Foundation, the island also works with scientists, conservation specialists and neighbouring communities on initiatives supporting the wider marine and terrestrial environment.
For guests, much of this work may unfold quietly in the background, but its presence can be felt throughout the Banwa experience. Members of Team Banwa are continually building their knowledge of the wildlife and marine life around the island, adding a more personal dimension to exploring its shores, reef and natural environment.
For Team Banwa, being guardians of the island is not a role reserved for conservation specialists alone. It is a shared responsibility and part of caring for Banwa every day.
Guardians of the Island: Team Banwa during the three-day Marine Turtle Conservation Training, building their knowledge and practical skills to help monitor and protect marine turtles nesting along Banwa’s shores. -Ends- For media enquiries, contact:
Banwa Private Island
Judith A. Los Baños-Abalos
Marketing Communications Consultant