Gameplan: Diving in Danjugan Island

NEGROS ISLAND, Philippines – Danjugan is a marine sanctuary off the southern coast of Negros Occidental, and no trip to this island would be complete without diving into its rich coral beds.

Gameplan host Ton Vergel de Dios got to do just that when he did an intro dive for the first time. “I kind if came in really excited. I came in so stoked. But at the same time I was careful and I listened to everything the instructor told me,” he said.

Ton learned the basics and gear from dive master Paul Lizares, and mask clearing techniques from his co-host Julian Rodriguez. “I tried to follow all the instructions that Paul gave me before – equalizing, inflating and deflating the suit. At first there was a sense of panic because you don’t really know what’s happening. So I tried to calm myself down, focus on my breathing and just relax,” he shared.

After his intro dive, Ton still wanted to see more, and since the water was so tempting and so clear, he decided to snorkel a little bit more. “It’s so peaceful. I saw all the fish, all the corals. It was so beautiful in the water that I felt that I was in my element,” he said. 

“They say that the water is less explored than outer space. So I think getting certified is just another part in exploring the world in a different way – underwater,” he said. – Rappler.com