By Helen Castaño and Edward Guyano | 11:38 PM February 25, 2020
Environmental lawyer and tri-athlete Ingemar Macarine, also known as The Pinoy Aquaman, successfully crossed a part of the Sibugay Bay on Monday, February 24, 2020.
Macarine, 43, swam the Buluan Island to Buluan Port in the Zamboanga Sibugay province with a distance of 2.7 km for an hour.
Buluan Island is the province’s pride which is now a tourist destination.
The endurance swimmer swam together with other 15 open water swimmers from Zamboanga City and Zamboanga Sibugay province.
The destination was Serendipity Isle but it was shortened due to strong current.
“We changed the landing site to Buluan Port instead of Serendipity Isle and shortened the swim as we were swimming against a strong current,” said Macarine.
The swim was organized by Zamboanga Sibugay 2nd district Representative Ann Hofer to promote marine conservation and sustainable tourism.
It was part of the series of activities in celebration of 19th founding anniversary of Zamboanga Sibugay as a separate province founded by Hofer’s father the late Governor George T. Hofer.
Zamboanga Sibugay used to be part of Zamboanga del Sur province, in northwestern Mindanao.
Fernandez said the Philippine Sports Commission also supported the swim to promote open water swimming which is now an Olympic event.
“We have the longest shorelines and Philippines can excel suck kind of sports,” he said.
Macarine, the election officer of Tubigon town, has been swimming seas in the Philippines and the United States.
