There’s just a lot going on in Mati City, Davao Oriental, and everyone wants to be there.
That’s right. There is so much to do in Mati City: surfing at Amihan resort in Dahican, sightseeing at the Sleeping Dinosaur Island, picnicking at Pujada Bay, visiting the Subangan Museu, scuba diving at the Waniban Island, exploring the Bonsai Forest, and flying at the Mindanao Saga Flying Club.
Well, not only are tourists and locals are attracted to Mati City today, but the bays there are also new playgrounds for the free diving enthusiasts.
Recently, Mati City hosted the first Bay Deep Mati Freediving Festival, which gathered a total of 65 locals and foreign freedivers that participated in the two-day dive that opened on September 25, 2022, and explored the bays of Mati City namely Oak Island, Pujada Island, Dahican, Waniban Island, and Blue Bless.
For the knowledge of all especially those non-freedivers, freediving is a relatively new watersport activity here in Davao Region. Like scuba, it entails thorough training, and of course, a certification for one to safely do this sport underwater.
Like scuba, it is also a magnet for tourists who enjoy this form of diving that relies solely on one’s ability to hold breath without the help of any breathing apparatus.
“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 and tourism is on a major comeback,” said Tanya Rabat-Tan, regional director of the Department of Tourism 11 (DOT 11).
Tan said DOT has long recognized the potential of freediving and it continues to support initiatives that highlight and promote this emerging recreational watersport.
“We already know for a fact that our archipelago is full of underwater treasures, full of incredible marine life, making our islands attractive to many international freedivers,” she said.
She said the holding of the first-ever Bay Deep Mati Freediving Festival also added a feather to Davao Oriental’s cap as it augments another prime tourism activity in the province.
“This fully supports our Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco’s direction in developing new regional tourism circuits that support nature-based tourism, among others, for us to offer both foreign and local tourists more choices as they travel around the country,” she said.
Not only does freediving bring tourists and livelihood to the communities in Mati City, but it also advocates for a sustainable lifestyle by not taking more than the environment can supply and renew.
It is an activity that lives in balance and respects nature without harming ecology.
“And, as we all know, the practice of freediving can also greatly help us in improving our health, both physically and mentally,” she said.
For Governor Corazon Malanyaon, the activity will boost the already vibrant tourism industry of the province.
This is very well suited since Davao Oriental as well as the entire Davao Region is rich in history, tradition, culture and most especially, in nature- home of beautiful beaches, waterfalls, rivers, sand bars and mountains, and also home of a UNESCO-inscribed world heritage site, the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary.
