Comelec exec swims 22-km sea between NegOr, Siquijor
If a Comelec lawyer is able to swim the seawaters from Alcatraz to San Francisco for hours, there’s no reason why a potential voter cannot find time to register, as theApril 29 deadline draws near.
Atty. Ingemar Macarine, election officer III of Tubigon, Bohol and dubbed as “Pinoy Aquaman,” started open sea swimming few years back to advocate for clean seas and beaches.
This time, he challenged the currents and the sharks between the seas off Dumaguete and Siquijor Island to promote further awareness about the Comelec voter’s registration.
"Conquered Siquijor Island by swimming nonstop and unassisted 24.65 km in 11 hours and 21 minutes from Silliman Beach, Dumaguete City, Province of Negros Oriental to Tambisan Port, Municipality of San Juan, Province of Siquijor," Macarine posted on his Facebook account after the successful crossing on Wednesday.
According to Negros Oriental provincial election officer Atty. Edi Aba, open sea swimming will take hours and is laced with danger, but registering with the Comelec only takes 20 minutes.
He urged all potential voters to participate in the affairs of government, especially during elections, so that the results will be reflective of the popular mandate of the people.
Macarine, in his newest quest, crossed the 22-kilometer distance in an early morning swim last Monday from Silliman University beach to Siquijor province.
He told The FREEMAN that he offered his swim to his employer, the Commission on Elections, to promote voter registration. His act was also part of the closing salvo of the continuing registration, sponsored by the provincial elections officers of the province of Negros Oriental and Siquijor island.
Earlier, Macarine had crossed the Tañon Strait from Cebu to Negros Oriental, from Dauin to Apo Island, and from Surigao to Southern Leyte which is the longest so far at 23 kilometers.
After Siquijor, Macarine will try to cross the English Channel, he said.
His first international swim was from Alcatraz to San Francisco mainland in 2014. He then went back to the U.S. in 2015 for a seven-kilometer open sea swim.
This year, he will be back in New York for a 10-kilometer swim.
He said that his biggest challenge in the 22-kilometer open sea swim from Dumaguete to Siquijor was the strong current, not much on the sharks and the threats from the Abu Sayyaf bandits.
Meanwhile, Aba said there will be no more extension to the registration deadline.
It has been a good registration turnout so far for Negros Oriental, he said, with total registered voters now hitting the 800,000-mark from the more than 770,000 during the previous election.