(By Mindanao Journal)
EVERY underwater photographer tells stories in many ways as it documents and study marine animals and their behavior in more depth.
The underwater environment is thought to be the place of the origin of life on Earth, and it remains the ecological region most critical to the support of life and the natural habitat of the majority of living organisms.
Bohol province is an island surrounded by water and smaller islands while also within proximity of neighboring provinces like Cebu.
It is blessed with beauty throughout – underwater, over the hills, and in its inner landscapes, rivers, and’ forests.
It is but fitting to showcase the bounty of the island through the conduct of the first-ever Bohol Loop Dive Expo (BHOLDEX) 2023.
Led by the Provincial Government of Bohol and the Panglao Association of Dive Operators (PADO), the event showcased the newly discovered dive sites in the twelve municipalities and promote the province as a premier diving destination in the Philippines.
It features a series of diving, environmental, and economic activities conducted in various locations across the entire province, participated by local and international underwater photographers, professional divers, dive enthusiasts, dive tour operators, and business establishments.
The event which took place on April 13 until April 30 captivated the best in the province highlighting one of its major activities – the Underwater Photography competition.
The event was divided into two divisions – intermediate and open and was classified into five categories.
Here are the winners of the OPEN CLASS CATEGORY:
FISH PORTRAIT
1st Place: Navapan Janjarasskul
2nd Place: Marivic Maramot
3rd Place: Pei-Chi Chiang
MACRO/SUPER MACRO
1st Place: Navapan Janjarasskul
2nd Place: Pei-Chi Chiang
3rd Place: Louis Myse Fae Ronquillo
MARINE BEHAVIOR
1st Place: Pei-Chi Chiang
2nd Place: Marivic Maramot
3rd Place: Navapan Janjarasskul
NUDIBRANCH
1st Place: Louis Myse Fae Ronquillo
2nd Place: Pei-Chi Chiang
3rd Place: Navapan Janjarasskul
WIDE ANGLE
1st Place: Pei-Chi Chiang
2nd Place: Navapan Janjarasskul
3rd Place: Lito Lapure
INTERMEDIATE CLASS CATEGORY:
FISH PORTRAIT
1st Place: Torres, Neil Anthony
2nd Place: Fra-and Quimpo
3rd Place: Norman William Macababayao
MACRO/SUPER MACRO
1st Place: Neil Anthony Torres
2nd Place: Fra-and Quimpo
3rd Place: Norman William Macababayao
MARINE BEHAVIOR
1st Place: Jeska Aquino Ventura
2nd Place: Neil Anthony Torres
NUDIBRANCH
1st Place: Earl Purisima
2nd Place: Efren De Los Santos
3rd Place: Neil Anthony Torres
WIDE ANGLE
1st Place: Efren De Los Santos,
2nd Place: Fra-and Quimpo
3rd Place: Earl Purisima
Grandiose BHOLDEX next year
With the success of the event, Bohol second district Rep. Maria Vanessa Aumentado thanked the participants and vowed for grandiose event in the coming years.
“I’m so overwhelmed and so happy. With the success, we will start to make a plan for the next loop dive. Diving alone is already mainstream but loop diving which explores our municipalities is something new,” she added.
Aumentado stressed that the photographers have unveiled and discovered colorful underwater creatures here in Bohol.
“We are so proud and right now, we can say that Bohol has a lot to offer especially in our dive sites,” she cited.
PHOTOGRAPHERS PERSPECTIVE
Pei-Chi Chiang, 33, a professional underwater photographer from Taiwan who bagged numerous major awards for the open class category said she was amazed of how beautiful the underwater of Bohol is.
“I’ve been shooting since 2016 and I’ve dived in Bohol many years ago, but this is the first time I shoot here,” she said.
Chiang added that Bohol has a lot to offer and during her participation in BHOLDEX, they were able to discover new dive sites.
“It has a lot of potentials and was rich in marine life. I invite my fellow divers and underwater photographers to come and explore Bohol,” she added.
Chiang won the first place for the marine behavior and wide angle categories for the open class division.
Meanwhile, Neil Anthony Torres from Manila, who won major awards for the intermediate class division said he started underwater photography last year and was very forunate to win during the BHOLDEX 2023.
“I’ve been to diffrent diving sites in the Philippines and abroad. It is something that I love and enjoy doing,” he said.
He underscored that the dive sites in the Municipality of Garcia- Hernandez is one of the best he have seen so far.
“You should be proud of what you have here in Bohol. The photos I took speaks a thousand words and I want to spread that there’s [beauty] out there underwater,” Torres added.
Torres won the first place for the fish portrait and macro/super macro categories.
The Panglao Association of Dive Operators (PADO) hosted the BHOLDEX 2023 in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT), Tourism of the Philippines Board, Dive 7, and Villa Tomasa Alona Kew Resort. ###
