THE town of Medellin, northern Cebu launched its first-ever Dive 7 Festival on Thursday, May 25, 2023.

The diving festival and activities act as an additional booster to the town’s tourism, said Medellin Mayor Joven “Benjun” Mondigo Jr. in his message during the opening ceremony.

The four-day event with the theme “Shoot, Ride, and Dive” features various underwater and beach activities, a golf tournament, target shooting, motorcycle rides, and a photography competition.

Mondigo said the festival will carve the name of the municipality as one of Cebu’s best diving spots.

The town is also known as the “sugar bowl of the province” due to spans of sugarcane plantations.

Tourism

Among the natural sites that Medellin can offer are the marine protected areas or fish sanctuaries in the Gibitngil Island, Barangay Kawit where divers can see a variety of marine life including sea turtles and corals.

Mondigo said the four-day activity also promotes the town’s two 18-hole golf courses and its so-called Aisle of Medellin, a long stretch of road that cuts across hectares of sugarcane fields.

“We are happy in promoting tourism because this will surely bring a great economic impact to our town and its people, especially since our sugar industry has been in a challenging situation,” Mondigo said.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia led the event’s kick-off ceremony with Department of Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Shahlimar Tamano at the Akropora Beach Front.

“This is the most unique. While in other places, the activity would be confined to diving, over here, we not only dive, shoot, we ride, and we tee off,” Garcia said in a mix of English and Cebuano.

Medellin’s Dive 7 Festival is held in partnership with the Cebu Provincial Government and the DOT 7.

Mondigo, in his speech, expressed his gratitude to Garcia and Tamano for their support in promoting the town’s tourism.

Cebuana motovlogger Ma. Rica Cabarrubias, popularly known as Jet Lee, ambassador of Philippine Motorcycle Tourism, led the opening of the motorcade at the Aisle of Medellin.

Cebu Provincial Tourism Officer Marti Ybañez said in a Sugbo News report that the festival will open up Medellin to these types of activities on a daily basis.