Anilao Underwater Shootout 2023 Winners
The tranquil waters of Mabini, Batangas burst into motion over again because the Department of Tourism (DOT) recently held the eighth Anilao Underwater Shootout (AUS), May 22 to 26.
Thought to be the “World Cup of Underwater Photo Competitions”, the international event showcased the wealthy marine biodiversity of the town, which is acknowledged because the birthplace of scuba diving within the archipelago.
The three-day shootfest gathered 153 participants from 14 countries—including Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, america, and the Philippines.
In line with DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco, the event strengthens the country’s position as among the many world’s top destinations for diving and underwater photography.
She said that through the competition, the DOT seeks to grow the country’s dive market with programs that promote the country’s wealthy underwater world, and advocate its preservation.
Situated in Balayan Bay, the world boasts of some 42 dive spots scattered across the municipalities of Mabini, Bauan and Tingloy.
The second for the reason that onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the competition received 426 entries from two classes and 14 categories.
Winners bagging P 1.7 M value of underwater photography gear from event partners and sponsors AOI, Divers Point Co., Fourth Element, Marelux, Migalabs, Nauticam, Nautilus Dive and Sports Center, Raptor Case, Scubalamp, Scuba Studio, Squires Sports, and XDeep.
“The Department of Tourism may be very joyful that the love for diving and underwater photography has brought everyone to Anilao as this yr’s edition opens as much as international participants. The DOT is committed to maintaining the Philippines’s standing because the world’s leading dive destination through a comprehensive approach for the further development of the country’s dive products,” said DOT assistant secretary Verna Covar-Buensuceso through the awarding ceremony.
First held in 2013, the Shootout is in step with the DOT’s identification of diving as a priority product within the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP).
This yr’s panel of judges included award-winning global underwater photographers Aaron Wong, Brook Peterson, Franco Banfi, Rafael Fernandez Caballero, and Scott Gutsy Tuason.
Below are the competition’s top 3 winners in different classes and categories:
Open Class
- Macro/supermacro: Kim Kyung Shin, PJ Aristorenas, and Yat Kuen Eric Fung.
- Marine Behavior: Dennis Corpuz, Patricia Santos, and Yat Kuen Eric Fung
- Nudibranch: Dennis Corpuz, Mark Chang, PJ Aristorenas
- Fish Portrait: Deniz Muzaffer Gökmen, Patricia Santos, Mark Chang.
Compact Class
- Macro: Regie Casia, Luzelle Artillero, Teresa Sy Ortin.
- Marine Behavior: Regie Casia, Eric Javier, Neil Anthony Torres
- Nudibranch: Jayson Cedrick Apostol, Ronilo Corpuz, and Jose Antonio Caluag.
- Fish Portrait: Eric Javier, Jayson Cedrick Apostol, and Oscar Rey Maranan
Special prizes were awarded to Dennis Corpuz and Mark Chang within the Blackwater/Bonfire and the Wide Angle categories, respectively. The DOT also bestowed the Dive Photographer of the Yr titles to and Eric Javier (compact class), and Photographers of the Yr Dive Guides to Roberto Corpuz (open class) and Louie Casapao (compact class).
The eighth AUS was mounted in partnership with the Mabini Tourism Office, DOT Calabarzon Regional Office, Solitude Acacia Resort, Aiyanar Beach and Dive Resort, Lakan, Underwater 360, and Dive Marketing Media.
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