2025 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

In July 2017, a green sea turtle named Kan was found floating in the coastal waters of Barangay Linao, Ormoc City. Unable to move any part of his body, Kan was rushed to the nearest hospital. An X-ray revealed air pockets in Kan's body, explaining his inability to dive. This discovery was key to his rehabilitation, which lasted just under two months. Kan was the first animal patient at the Ormoc Hospital—a history in itself.

Kan's recovery led to the establishment of Ormoc City's Marine Mammal and Reptile Rehabilitation Center (OMMRRC) in 2017, with an initial allocation of ₱100,000 ($1,700). Since then, the center has cared for 60 endangered marine animals, rehabilitating 40 of them successfully, and performing necropsies on 20 others to gain valuable insights into marine animal health. The OMMRRC operates with the support of 77 partner organizations, including local government units, NGOs, and private entities, recognizing that the responsibility of caring for marine life is a shared community effort.

In 2024, the program earned national recognition from the Galing Pook Foundation as one of the Top 10 Outstanding Local Governance Programs in the Philippines. This recognition, far from being the end of the journey, motivates the team to continue their work. The OMMRRC is currently constructing a new facility, the Marine Mammal and Reptile Rehabilitation Center-On Shore Facility, which will include a Diagnostic Center. From its humble beginnings with a ₱100,000 budget, the project is now supported by an allocation of ₱20 million ($342,817.96).

The ultimate "profit" of this initiative is not financial but the rehabilitation of marine life and its return to its natural habitat. This success brings prosperity to the city, as a healthy marine ecosystem benefits the local community. The center envisions that, in the future, all LGUs will have their own rehabilitation facilities. Until then, Ormoc City remains dedicated to its mission of protecting marine life. The story of Kan, which has touched the hearts of the people, is a testament to the power of compassion and collective action in preserving the planet's fragile ecosystems. The hope is that future generations will continue the work of safeguarding marine life, creating a legacy of environmental stewardship.

• https://ormoc.gov.ph/ (External link)
• Saving Kan presentation  (External link)