In a significant development for diving enthusiasts, a groundbreaking ceremony was held in Dauin, Negros Oriental, marking the start of construction for a new PHP80-million hyperbaric chamber center. The event, led by Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, took place on a donated 300-square-meter lot from Mayor Galicano Truita. The facility, funded by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), is expected to be fully operational within three months, promising enhanced safety and convenience for scuba divers in the region.
Secretary Frasco highlighted the importance of the hyperbaric chamber for emergency treatments related to diving incidents. Jetro Nicholas Lozada, assistant chief operations officer for TIEZA-Assets Management, confirmed that the chamber has already been delivered and that training for medical staff is underway. The chamber, capable of treating six individuals simultaneously, will not only address decompression sickness but also other medical conditions.
TIEZA will manage the facility, with Dauin receiving a 10 percent share of its income along with standard taxes. A review every five years will assess the local government’s ability to take over the management of the center. Additionally, Secretary Frasco has instructed TIEZA to purchase five new units of a top German brand of hyperbaric chambers.
Glenn Carballo, president of the Negros Oriental Divers’ Association, expressed his enthusiasm about the project, noting that it fulfills a decade-long wish of the diving community. He anticipates that the new chamber will significantly increase diving tourism not only in Dauin but across Negros Oriental and neighboring areas like Moalboal in Cebu and Sipalay in Negros Occidental.