15 December 2015 - Philippine Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg and Head of the Philippine Mission to the European Union Victoria S. Bataclan, together with Mr. Dakila Gonzales of the Philippine Department of Tourism – Frankfurt Office,  welcomed 102 divers belonging to NELOS (Nederlandstalige Liga voor Onderwateronderzoek en-Sport/Dutch League for Underwater Research and Sports) and LIFRAS (La Ligue Francophone de Recherches et d’Activites Subaquatiques/Francophone League of Research and Underwater Activities) on December 03 at the Philippine Embassy premises to provide Belgian divers with an opportunity to know more about the Philippines, especially as a diving destination.

National Geographic photographer David Hettich delighted the audience with a presentation showing underwater encounters of his more than one thousand dives in the Philippine seas.  The evening also saw a presentation about the Discovery Fleet Dive Cruise which offers a new style of cruising through the Philippine Islands especially to the famous Tubbataha Reef.  Mr. Gonzales complemented these segments with a Philippine country presentation which provided more reasons why every diver/tourist should visit the Philippines. 

In her remarks, Ambassador Bataclan expressed appreciation and gratitude for the divers present and invited them to come to the Philippines, which was named by the National Geographic Traveller as a “must-see destination” for 2016. She also mentioned that the Philippines is part of the Coral Triangle – a global center of marine biodiversity.  

The divers were joined by NELOS President Ronny Margodt and LIFRAS President Pilar Ruiz Lopez. A meeting of the two umbrella organizations also took place on the same evening.

Also present during the evening were journalists Rose-Marie Kondrativ of LIFRAS and Christine Demuynck of NELOS, who have both visited the Philippines and have experienced diving in the Philippines. END