Author: Kurt Achilles Gabaldon Photos by: Ted Claudio
Nature is indeed breathtaking. Especially when you’re at your lowest, wanting to unwind by feeling the breeze of the winds, touching the crystal waters in the sea, sauntering in the fine sands of the beach, or even just doing some leisure activities that will help you distress.
On September 23–26, 2022, in Pujada Bay, Mati City, the Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD), the City of Mati, the Province of Davao Oriental, and the Department of Tourism–Davao (DOT–Davao) helds its first-ever government–led four-day freediving festival titled “Bay Deep Mati: Freediving at one of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World.”
More than 60 freedivers and scuba divers from various parts of the Philippines participated in the Bay Deep Mati Free Diving Festival, which is known as the largest freediving event in the nation. The festival’s goal was to highlight Mati’s rich biodiversity and its crystal-clear waters and to advertise the region as a top destination for divers.
We should have spent the two years we were isolated due to the pandemic making memories by going to new settings, but instead we stayed in our homes, went about our everyday lives, and waited patiently for the day when we could finally leave the house without worrying about catching the virus.
While freediving is a relatively new water sport in the region, similar to scuba, according to Tanya Rabat Tan, regional director for DOT 11, said it can also be a draw for tourists who like this style of diving that relies only on one’s capacity to hold breath without the aid of any breathing device.
“This is great news for us, now that we are starting to attract once again the attention of international tourists, most especially divers, as the world starts to move out and away from the pandemic,” Tan said.
“We already know that our archipelago is full of underwater treasures, full of incredible marine life, making our islands attractive to international freedivers,” She added.
“It is an activity that balances and respects nature. The practice of freediving can also greatly help us in improving our health, both physically and mentally,” Rabat stressed. (pna.gov.ph)
It is clear after the four-day event that nature is extremely near to us in that it connects to our spirit and gives us a sense of freedom and life. The purpose of supporters of the Bay Deep Mati Freediving Festival is to promote responsible dive tourism, which could contribute to the local community’s prosperity for future generations..
For more information, visit:
Department of Tourism – Davao Region
City of Mati Tourism and Promotions Office
Bay Deep Mati Free Diving Festival
