Negros Oriental Governor Chaco Sagarbarria leads an official delegation to the Salon International de la Plongée Sous-Marine in Paris, Porte de Versailles, from Jan. 8 to 11, which is spotlighting top underwater destinations around the world.
“Our mission is to showcase Negros Oriental as a premier diving and marine tourism destination, forge international partnerships, and promote sustainable diving practices and economic growth,” Sagarbarria said in a statement.
He said that Negros Oriental is ready “to glow with world-class dive sites, rich marine biodiversity, and unforgettable underwater experiences.”
Among the province’s many coastal gems, “the municipality of Dauin has emerged as a unique and exceptional site, particularly for night diving, offering underwater experiences that are both breathtaking and ecologically significant.”
Negros Oriental 3rd District Rep. Janice Degamo, who is part of the delegation, has authored House Bill 01752, which aims to declare Dauin as the Night Diving Capital of the Philippines.
Degamo had said that Dauin is home to a “diverse array of marine life, including rare species of octopus, crustaceans, nudibranchs, and other nocturnal sea creatures that are best observed after sunset.”
Its black volcanic sand, coral gardens, and healthy reef ecosystems provide the perfect conditions for muck diving, macro photography, and marine life observation at night, the neophyte congresswoman said, noting that dive enthusiasts from around the world visit Dauin specifically for its guided night dives, considered among the best in Asia.
Sagarbarria said the province’s delegation, also composed of 2nd District Rep. Maisa Sagarbarria, tourism executive director Woodrow RR Maquiling, Board Members Erwin Macias, Jessica Jane Ikay Villanueva, and Bruno Bouffard III, and provincial information officer Juvilin Calago, will join the Department of Tourism in boosting awareness, building partnerships, and keeping the Philippines—and Negros Oriental—top-of-mind as a premier dive destination.
There are hundreds of exhibitors at the event, and activities include talks, films, marine conservation, innovation showcases, live diving demos and topnotch dive gears, he added. ||
