“It's quite a liberating experience to explore the sea in such an immersive way, not weighed down by heavy equipment, seeing firsthand how amazing, yet also so delicate, the underwater world is,” related Riza Ornos on her first freediving experience, after recently joining the Iloilo Freedivers for a basic freediving course and an underwater cleanup. Ornos is no stranger to subaquatic adventures, one of the founders of Iloilo-based environmental group EarthingPH and a licensed PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) diver, but she’s rediscovered her love of marine exploration through freediving. Also known as skin diving, freediving involves plunging into sea depths sans heavy breathing apparatus – like scuba gear – relying only on one’s ability to hold their breath underwater. Masks, snorkels, and fins are typically still used by free-divers, but the discipline counts more on a swimmer’s strong lungs then costly and hefty diving equipment.

Albay, R. L. V. (2020, March 1). Freedivers for ocean conservation. Panay News, pp. B8, B6.