PRESS RELEASE
PR-061-2023
03 April 2023, Singapore – As a show of support to the Philippine tourism and diving sector, the Philippine Embassy in Singapore visited the Philippine Pavilion at the Asia Dive Expo (ADEX) Mission 2023, the largest and longest-running dive consumer and trade show in Asia. Previously called ADEX, the expo has evolved and further positioned itself to be “more than just a dive show” to encourage even non-divers to be part of the community.
For this year, the Philippines partnered with ADEX, which has dedicated its theme to all women divers, a fitting end to the Philippines’ National Women’s Month, as the 3-day expo opened on the last day of March.
ADEX Mission 2023’s roster of speakers included scientists, marine conservationists, underwater photographers, videographers, artists and passionate ocean lovers. Among the speakers that represented the Philippines were: Ms. Antoinette Taus, a celebrity and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassador and Founder of CORA (Communities Organized for Resource Allocation), a non-profit organization dedicated to creating sustainable programs to help solve global issues centered on hunger, poverty, inequality, and climate change; and The Sustainable Planet, which collaborates with indigenous peoples and marginalized communities across the Philippines to empower and uplift the lives of those most affected by poverty, inequality, injustice and climate change; Ms. Vanessa Vergara, President of Reef Check Philippines, a non-profit organization which seeks to promote the conservation of corals, Ms. Cat Triviño, ADEX Ambassador, co-founder and Head of Content and Communications of MindNation, and Communications Director of CORA; Ms. Marie Josephine Amarie Tolentino, Founder of Mermaids PH, a Filipino Mermaid Community; Mr. Alex Santos, commercial diver, CEO and founder of Philippine Technical Divers (PHILTECH); Mr. Reggie Reyes, Scuba Diving instructor trainer and Training Development Coordinator for Ocean Reef Full Face Mask, and Coral Reef Rescue and Rehabilitation Advocate/ Conservation Photography Coach; Mr. Bo Macao, PADI Divemaster and Underwater filmmaker; and Mr. Scott Tuason, a celebrated underwater photographer.
The event also provided a platform for exhibitors such as dive operators, equipment manufacturers, and national tourism boards to network and showcase their technologies, diving destinations, and tour packages to the diving community.
The Philippine Pavilion, sponsored and organized by the Philippine Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), brought in Philippine-based dive companies and resorts in world-renowned Philippine dive destinations such as Batangas, considered as the birthplace of scuba diving in the Philippines and widely popular for divers because of its proximity to Manila and its rich biodiversity; Mindoro, home of Apo Reef, the largest coral reef in the Philippines; Palawan, home of the Tubbataha Reef, UNESCO World Heritage Site and Asia’s Leading Dive Destination; and Cebu, known for whale sharks and sardine run-dives, among others. (END)
