French celebrity named Philippine freediving ambassador

MANILA -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) named French celebrity freediver Guillaume Néry as the face of Philippine freediving in a bid to promote the country as a top freediving destination in Asia.

“To have a world-renowned figure like Guillaume Néry on board is both a privilege and opportunity for the country to position ourselves better in the diving industry of the region,” DOT Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo said.

DOT, in collaboration with Freediving Planet, arranged a month-long freediving expedition in the country for the Runnin’ (Lose It All) music video star.

A freediving yoga class, press conference, film viewing of the most notable works of Néry and his team, and a meet and greet will be staged at Shangri-La's Mactan Resort & Spa, Cebu on July 19.

Néry, a filmmaker and an environment advocate, will conduct two freediving workshops in Cebu with one in Mactan last July 15-17 and another in Moalboal from August 4-6, in cooperation with Freediving HQ and Freediving Planet, respectively.

The three-day workshops will be a full immersion with the Freediving Ambassador for the Philippines Néry and will cover the basics of freediving -- yoga, deep breathing exercises, complete with practical sessions (dry, pool, and open water practices).

“The Philippine waters is comprised of nearly one million square miles of sea covering major parts of the Coral Triangle which contains more than 2,500 species of fish and over 500 species of coral. Our extraordinary array of marine life and calm waters makes the Philippines an ideal place to learn and engage more tourists in freediving,” Teo said.

Néry will also be touring Mactan, Moalboal, Bohol, Coron, and El Nido and will freedive with Badjaos in Davao as part of the month-long expedition.

Two-time freediving world champion Néry will be also joining the department in future international dive shows and exhibitions to engage and invite more freediving competitors and enthusiasts alike. (PR)