BALINGOAN, Misamis Oriental (PIA)-- The Department of Tourism (DOT)-10, in partnership with the Philippine Commission on Sports and Scuba Diving (PCSSD), the Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental, municipalities of the Gingoog Bay Alliance, and local dive stakeholders of Misamis Oriental, officially launched the first Misamis Oriental Dive Festival.
“We welcome the Misamis Oriental Dive festival to the Philippine dive industry circuit of events, contributing to the growth and development of the industry, and sustaining the country’s position as a world-class diving destination,” Department of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said during her virtual message.
Running from November 25, 2021, to January 2022, the MisOr Dive Festival will gather dive professionals, underwater photographers, and marine life enthusiasts from various points of Mindanao and the country to join its key events such as the Underwater Photography Webinar and Competition, the Dive Spotters’ Training, the Dive Tourism Awareness Seminar, and the Scubasurero & Coastal Clean-up.
Regional Director Marie Elaine S. Unchuan in DOT 10’s Dive Exploration of the Gingoog Pantalan is seen as a great potential for both macro and wide-angle photography. (DOT-10)
“This is the first time that Dive Tourism is launched in the province, without this initiative we would not have been able to start the promotion of our dive potentials. This event is indeed paving the way to make Misamis Oriental included in the main dive tourism events in the future,” Misamis Oriental Provincial Tourism Office Jeffrey C. Saclot shared.
Under DOT-10’s DIVE NORTHMIN Campaign initiatives which aim to promote Northern Mindanao as a premier diving destination in the country, DOT-10 Regional Director Marie Elaine S. Unchuan commended and thank the participants and stakeholders for their full support as the region slowly recovers its tourism industry.
Nudibranchs taken in one of the Misamis Oriental dive explorations of DOT-10, with its rich and pristine underwater ecosystem, Misamis Oriental is lauded by dive photographers for its wide array of nudibranchs and critters. (DOT-10)
“I expect good things! This is what I consider an incubator for a lot more events and hopefully will get more people interested in the underwater world, so I’m hoping that this will spark the interest of a lot more Filipinos to go diving, and eventually, we can promote this around the world.” Globally renowned underwater photographer Bo Mancao shared.
The online culmination program and awarding ceremony for the Misamis Oriental Dive Festival will be in January as part of the 9th Kuyamis Festival of the Province of Misamis Oriental. (DOT-10/PIA-10/ Misamis Oriental)
