Bohol's Underwater Fiesta:
Turtles and Dolphins
The word " Fiesta " invokes the feeling of fun,
colors, and abundance.
I had that thoughts playing in my mind when I read the
e-mail invitation from Department of Tourism Director Annie
Cuevas to attend the First Bohol Dive Fiesta.
It was May and our balikbayan box service, Manila Forwarder,
was busy with our "Cinco de Mayo Sale" so I was
having a second thought of attending the event even though
I am a diving enthusiast and very active in promoting the
Philippines as a Dive Destination for our travel agency
TravelPH.Com.
Then our Information Technology (IT) guy, Lindsey Collada,
informed me that the device for our Call Center has arrived
and that we could start the trial run as soon as possible.
This was reinforced when I attended the Dive Convention
held at Long Beach Convention Center that weekend and I
saw that the Philippines was being promoted by various American
Dive Tour operators.
If these American guys recognize the potential of Philippines
as a dive destination as manifested by the top dollars they
paid for the convention booth, why not me, a Pilipino-American,
I thought to myself.
I need information to convince my kababayans to visit the
Philippines and start exploring its underwater beauty. Much
more, convince them to encourage their friends and co-workers
to visit the Philippines and enjoy the abundance the country
has to offer.
I have to attend.
FREE RIDE
It was high travel season and there was no more book able
flight available. Being a former Boy Scout, I am always
ready with a non-revenue ticket from Philippine Airlines
that my PAL flight attendant sister provides me. It was
a chance passenger ticket so I can use it anytime.
I asked our travel department to check on my chances but
I was informed that there were two PAL flights that night
but both were overbooked. I know I have to travel light
just in case.
Alas, I cannot take both flights since there were no available
seats!
I already sent home Ricky Nacnac who took me to the airport
since I know that it will be a long wait. I am thinking
of just taking the airport shuttle just in case I cannot
take the flight.
Before hailing a shuttle to take me back home, I decided
to take a walk to weigh my options. Plan B is to take a
Military Airlift Command (MAC) Flight to Asia or Hawaii
and just catch a connecting flight to Manila or Cebu. Being
a retired US Navy, I enjoy the benefit of using military
flights around the world on a space available basis.
As luck was in my side, there was a MAC flight that was
about to leave for Japan in 15 minutes. I immediately checked-in
at the Duty Officer; notify DOT Director Annie Cuevas via
pisotext of my new flight plans and in fifteen minutes I
was airborne on the way to Japan.
JAPAN, DIVING, AND ME
Japan has always been a special treat for me. I am always
fascinated with the simplicity and functionality of their
designs. I try to practice their work ethics and discipline
in my own simple ways.
During my high school days, I was fortunate to be a Rotary
Club exchange student to Higashi-Matsuyama, Saitama -Ken,
Japan. My foster parent, Matsuda San, was the owner of an
airplane parts manufacturer. I lived like a member of his
household and had the chance to immerse in the Japanese
culture.
Those who have visited my home office in Los Angeles, CA
have seen that I made a Japanese garden at the back of my
house where I hold office aside from our new office in Eagle
Rock. I have tatami mats and Japanese screens for function
and looks. After work, I unfold my futon where I sleep.
MAC FLIGHT
Our chartered 747 MAC flight landed at Yokohama Air Force
Base close to Tokyo in the morning so I still have time
to see the sights of Japan again. It has been a year since
the last time I was here where I had the chance to stay
in traditional Ryokan House, complete with Japanese bath
and Geisha.
At Yokohama, I took the first military bus that took me
to Yokosuka Navy Base, about a couple of hours drive north.
My first order of the day was to arrange for my connecting
flight to Manila. At the on base travel agency, I checked
the vacation packages that they offer and it gave me joy
to see that they were offering Philippines as a Rest and
Recreation Destination even after the US bases in the Philippines
have closed.
Diving is one of them.
At Narita Airport on the way to Manila, The one that caught
my attention was the billboard depicting a tropical island
with white beaches and coconut trees. It says" Cebu,
a tropical island in the Pacific.
THE MISSION: DIVE, DIVE, DIVE
The people of Bohol, in cooperation with the Philippine
Department of Tourism and Alona Beach Community Foundation,
recently held the First Bohol Dive Fiesta in Panglao Island,
Bohol, Philippines last May 28-31. It was an overland and
underwater-Festivities that was attended and participated
by more than 30 dive tour operators and media from Singapore,
Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Belgium, Canada and
USA.
The delegates were welcomed by Tourism Undersecretary Rolando
Reyes, who spoke in behalf of Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan,
who was already in Cebu but has to fly back immediately
to Manila for urgent official business.
Usec Reyes said that, " Bohol Dive Fiesta is the highlight
of Department of Tourism's ( DOT ) Dive Fiesta Philippines,
a promotion program that showcases the diversity, quality,
and the unparalleled range of dive destinations in the Philippines".
Reyes added that this will position the Philippines as
the Dive Capital of Asia, a claim that will hold water in
the world diving community. At the recent Dive Convention,
held at Long Beach, CA, USA last May 22-23, Philippines
were one of the few diving destination in Asia that was
promoted by various dive tour operators.
This is due to the fact that underwater visibility in the
Philippine tropical waters is better and that the country's
7,107 islands offers a variety of marine life. Not to mention
the natural talent of Filipino dive guides and the economical
cost of diving in the Philippines.
BOHOL, A FAMILY DESTINATION
At Panglao Island, I was welcomed by the Manager of Philippine
Islands Divers Resort and the President of of Alona Beach
Community Foundation, Mr. Holger Horn. He is also a Captain
in the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary. Panglao Island
is the home to various Resorts in the province. It offers
white sand beach and a number of PADI accredited dive resorts
and nature spas.
From Philippine Islands Divers Resort in Panglao Island,
we took a one hour banca ride to Balicasag Island, a Naval
Reserve and fish sanctuary. In the island, there were air-conditioned
cottages with satellite cable TV, restaurant, and a dive
shop operated by the Philippine Tourism Authority, a government
agency under the Department of Tourism.
Balicasag Island is a world class diving destination. Its
topography offers diving site for snorkeling to serious
divers. It also offers natural shade from coconut trees
and other fruit bearing trees for those who just want to
be a beach bum.
The delegates have various scuba skills including a non-swimmer.
However, that did not prevent everyone from enjoying the
underwater adventure of Balicasag as the resort offers Discovery
dives for first timers to adventure dives.
Balicasag dive guides know the reefs and its marine life
inside out. The editor of the Asian Diver Magazine asked
for "Butanding", the gentle giant whale shark,
and she surfaced smiling beaming with pride with her digital
picture of a whale shark.
I asked for a smaller creature, the gentle barracudas and
the dive master guided me to a school of barracudas, around
fifty of them, led by their colored yellow leader. What
a sight!
Other group preferred turtles, dolphins, and manta rays.
The Alona Beach Community Resorts are certified to teach
kids to get PADI Bubblemaker program to advance adult scuba
courses.
They also offer whale and dolphin watching in the Bohol
Marine Triangle that comprises the ocean between Balicasag
, Pamilacan , Panglao Islands. I tried this a year ago with
the Philippine Airlines-DOT media familiarization trip at
Pamilacan Island where we had a picnic lunch. We saw dolphins
but not lucky enough to see whales.
Aside from water activities, Panglao Island offers nature
spas and convention facilities. Alona Beach also offers
relaxing night life over a cold drink or two. Atlantis Dive
Center & Kalipaya Resort, who hosted a dinner for the
delegates, offers excellent gourmet food on a rooftop setting
overlooking most of the beach.
The province also offers a countryside day tour that includes
a visit to the blood compact site, Baclayon Church Museum,
interacting with Philippine tarsiers, a river boat cruise
lunch, and a visit to the world famous chocolate hills.
Tagbilaran City, the capital of Bohol Province offers excellent
accommodations like Bohol Tropics and the latest addition
to Tagbilaran Hotels, Via Bohol Tourist inn owned by Mr.
Victorino Taray.
SAFETY FIRST
One of the highlights of the Bohol Dive Fiesta is the dive
rescue exhibition of the Philippine Coast Guard and its
auxiliary branch composed of volunteer civilians who have
special diving skills.
The Philippine Coast Guard is now a civilian in nature
under the Department of Transportation and Communication.
It used to be a unit of the Philippine Navy before the transfer
to DOTC.
It recently acquired four highly modern Search and Rescue
frigates capable of cruising 27 nautical knots strategically
located in various parts of the archipelago. It has fire
fighting capability like a fire boat. It is also a floating
ambulance equipped with decompression chamber as well as
Aid Station for mass casualty. It is also a patrol boat
for police mission and is equipped with 50 caliber machine
guns and small arms for its crew.
The vessel is manned with 6 Officers including a Medical
Officer that is also a hyperbaric specialist, 2 rescue divers,
a corpsman, and 30 other strikers and enlisted personnel.
This is complemented by the military hospital in Cebu,
Centcom Hospital that is manned by hyperbaric Chamber Operator/Technician
Mamerto Ortega II that is on-duty 24/7.
BRP Batangas (SAR 004) under the command of Cdr. Enrico
Endozo from Cavite showed the Dive Fiesta delegates the
capability of this modern sea craft and the knowledge and
training of its personnel. Officers of the Philippine Navy
SEAL as well as Coast Guard Auxiliary were also on board
the vessel during the exercise.
The acquisition of this $ 19 Million Australian Dollar
vessels shows the resolve of the Philippine Government to
promote safety in the Philippines Nautical Highway and the
presence of decompression chamber in this vessels is a manifestation
that the government is taking the diving industry very seriously.
In the span of time that the Philippines have been the
diving destination, the need for decompression chamber has
been very minimal. Those that has been involved in diving
accidents were mostly advance technical dives that goes
beyond the parameters of tourist doing under-water sightseeing.
VISIT PHILIPPINES, VISIT WHAT'S UNDER THE PHILIPPINES
Philippine-diving is very safe as local dive guides and
dive masters were natural divers that were accustomed to
their dive spots. The beauty of Philippine underwater is
complemented by the competent personnel and staff of various
dive shops and government agencies through out the land.
The clear tropical warm water and the colorful underwater
life of the Philippines are worth visiting the next time
you plan your vacation. Spend $40 for the kid for PADI Bubble
maker Course and $70 for your PADI Discover Scuba Diving
Course. Its money well spent.
And now that Cebu Pacific will offer flights from USA to
Manila pretty soon. Pack your bags and take a week off.
Bring the whole family with you. Cruise underwater. Play
with the turtles. Frolic with the dolphins. Swim with manta
ray.
Halika Byahe Tayo….Destination Bohol, Philippines.
