Strengthening Management of the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary
The management of one of the Philippines' most important marine protected areas is taking another step towards more inclusive and evidence-based conservation. On August 25-27, the SOMACORE Programme and the ASEAN ENMAPS Project worked with the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary (TIWS) to support project coordination and the participatory updating of its Protected Area Management Plan (PAMP).
The partners and stakeholders brought scientific information, community perspectives and management priorities to strengthen the plan's responsiveness to the ecological, social, and governance needs of the park.
The planning process built on a community perception mapping exercise organized on June 24, 2026 in Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi. The exercise gathered information on marine resource state, use, and threats, including state of the fisheries, climate risks and vulnerabilities, and traditional ecological knowledge. The Jama Mapun, Samal and Tausug communities participated in the process, bringing local knowledge and experiences into the evidence base for protected area management.
The 2-day write-shop provided an opportunity for PAMB members, local stakeholders and partner institutions to reflect on the state of the protected area, discuss key management issues and emerging threats, and identify priority management objectives, strategies and interventions. The participants also worked through relevant sections of the PAMP, with the aim of ensuring that the updated plan reflects both available evidence and the realities of communities and institutions involved in managing the protected area. The workshop paves way for the next steps in the finalization of the management plan.
Located in the southern Philippines, the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary protects critical nesting and foraging habitats for endangered sea turtles. As an ASEAN Heritage Park and CTI-CFF Category 3 MPA in the CT MPA System, its conservation is important for the wider Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape and the whole Coral Triangle Region.
Effective protection of these ecosystems depends on management plans that respond to changing ecological conditions, recognize the needs and knowledge of local communities, and provide a clear basis for coordinated action among government agencies, protected area managers and other stakeholders.
Through the SOMACORE Programme, GIZ supports the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Biodiversity Management Bureau and the Department of Agriculture Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in strengthening ecosystem-based resource management and area-based conservation in the Philippine Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape.
The collaboration with the ASEAN ENMAPS Project demonstrates how regional initiatives can complement local protected area management. By connecting community knowledge, science and institutional coordination, the partners are helping lay the groundwork for more effective and inclusive conservation in the Turtle Islands Wildlife Sanctuary.
