Photo courtesy Prosafari Dive and Equipment Center

UPDATED 30/06/2009

Alona Beach, Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines will host the 1st Alona Beach Digital Underwater Shoot-out, digital underwater photography scuba diving event, on 10th July 2009. The entry fee will be Php500, inclusive of the Awards Dinner.

This Digital Underwater Shoot-out is organised in collaboration with MADaboutUS, the Blue Group of Mr. Joel Uichico, and the Bohol Dive Operators, based on Alona Beach. The Digital Underwater Shoot-out is the most colourful annual scuba diving event in the Philippines.

Photo courtesy Martyn Willes

Windsurfing and kiteboarding competition is natural in Subic bay, with on-shore breezes for much of the year, with only modest waves. Every summer Subic Bay hosts the largest gathering of windsurfing and kiteboarding enthusiasts for the middle-of-season competition in Subic Bay, part of the Philippine Windsurfing Association (“PWA”) 2009 Philippines Windsurfing Series. The event attracts international windsurfing and kiteboarding enthusiasts from around the World, including: Hawaii, North America, Fiji, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

From 18-19th July 2009, the Francisco Cup Wind and Kite Blow Out 2009 promises to be bigger and better than 2008, when almost 100 boards enthusiasts descended on Subic Bay to enjo

Photo courtesy Bernadette Villaluz

UPDATED 11/06/2009

The rare exotic tropical plant has been identified: Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Araceae). Sometimes known as the "elephant foot yam" or "corpse plant" (because of its short lived but foul smell upon flowering). Apparently the Amorphophallus paeoniifolius flower as photographed was the first stage of a process wherein the squashed "flower" and surrounding leaf eventually fall off and the stem continues to grow to allow developing seeds the greatest chance of dispersal once ripe.

Although not exceptionally rare the plant i