Philippines

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco leads the groundbreaking of the Hyperbaric Chamber Center at the Ciriaco S. Tirol Memorial Hospital in Boracay Island.

Boracay to Open New Hyperbaric Facility

Located strategically within the Boracay district hospital, the new hyperbaric chamber aims to significantly improve safety and healthcare for divers, addressing decompression sickness and other dive-related health issues more effectively.

4D photogrammetry model of USS Harder (SS 257) wreck site by The Lost 52 Project.
4D photogrammetry model of USS Harder (SS 257) wreck site by The Lost 52 Project.

Legendary US World War II Submarine USS Harder Located off Philippines

The wreck of the USS Harder, a United States submarine renowned for its heroic actions during World War II, has been located off the coast of the Philippines. Lying at a depth of 3,000 feet, this find marks a poignant moment in naval history, bringing closure to a chapter that has remained open since the submarine was lost in 1944.

Fluoroscent Photography Underwater

On a night dive in the Philippines several years ago, I had an opportunity to do a "fluoro" night dive. Atlantis Dive Resort rented blue underwater flashlights and yellow filter shields that went over divers' masks. Geared up, I set off into the night. The blue light was very dim and the dive was much darker than a normal night dive.

A Chinese Coast Guard ship allegedly obstructs the Philippine Coast Guard vessel Malabrigo as it provided support during a Philippine Navy operation near Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed South China Sea, June 30, 2023
A Chinese Coast Guard ship allegedly obstructs the Philippine Coast Guard vessel Malabrigo as it provided support during a Philippine Navy operation near Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed South China Sea, June 30, 2023

Are Rising Tensions in the South China Sea Affecting Dive Operators?

Manila has repeatedly accused the Chinese coastguard of blocking resupply missions to its troops on The Second Thomas Shoal, which lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, as it did on 5 Aug when it sprayed a Philippine vessel with a water cannon.

The South China Sea dispute involves territorial claims by multiple nations, including China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. It centres around control of islands, reefs, and waters in the South China Sea. 

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) underway off Hawaii with lifts lowered, July 1944
USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) underway off Hawaii with lifts lowered, July 1944

WWII carrier USS Ommaney Bay located in the Philippines

In a significant move, the United States Navy has confirmed the identity of a sunken World War II aircraft carrier in the Sulu Sea as the USS Ommaney Bay.

The carrier, which met its demise in 1945, was sunk by a devastating kamikaze attack during the ferocious battles of the Pacific Theater. Through meticulous examination and research, the navy has now shed light on the final resting place of this legendary warship.

Profile: Angelique Songco—“Mama Ranger” of Tubbataha

Angelique Songco (Source: TMO)
Angelique Songco (Source: TMO)

In a country that has so much to offer the travelling diver and underwater photographer, there are certain exceptional locations in the Philippines that really stand out and top of the list has to be the remote reefs and atolls of Tubbataha. Don Silcock interviewed a central figure in the story of the conservation of Tubbataha’s marine ecosystems: Angelique Songco.