Over the vacation I compiled a 3 page guide to diving in the Philippines. This primer is geared towards Filipinos who have always been curious about diving and launch into the deep (duc in altum!) with this new endeavor. It addresses questions such as rates, how to choose a dive instructor, where to begin, and even addresses concerns about knowing how to swim and if sharks will eat you. They also linked to someof the videos I took.
The article, as well as a series of trip files are all located in Summit Media’s new destination guide and directory, Travelbook.ph. It is managed by a fellow blogger, Betty Tianco, who I really respect for building Southbound.ph and making it THE authority for south-based (i.e. Las Pinas, Alabang, Bicutan, Sucat) cravings.
Hope you pick up something from it. This is a “living article” so it is bound to be improved through time based on the comments from people who want to learn to dive and from actual divers and dive masters / instructors. To fellow divers, if you have things to add, please hop on to the site and leave a comment.
UPDATE: I got something in the mail today — it’s from my former managing editor Alora Guerrero. She told me she’d be moving on to T3 after her career with MANUAL Magazine when it closed. I’ve moved on as well and Alora finally announces her position with T3 Online (she sent this on April 1 2009 and no, this is not an April Fools joke).
T3 will still be around but in a better online format. The magazine will still be around, but only for three times a year. So this is the first time in Philippine history where a magazine has claimed that the print edition will support the online edition 🙂
Original Post Follows:
If you’re reading this and you’re working in the same small circle that is the publishing industry, you might have heard the recent move of Summit to close T3, Marie Claire and Seventeen. Three really good foreign franchise titles closing down.
If you’re thinking that this is a “print is dead” piece, it isn’t. I’m not fond of writing posts of that sort. And truth is, it isn’t about print being dead — it’s about the cost of expensive franchise licenses, at least for the better part. This isn’t the first time it happened. Summit closed UK franchise Gamesmaster in 2006. Hinge Inquirer closed PC Magazine Philippines as well. Eventually of course, PC Magazine closed their print edition and are now purely online.
Such is life. As a contributor to several local mags, I’m not one to argue on business decisions. I will say this though — It is rare to see the opposite situation – where a local title becomes such a phenomenal hit that it qualifies for franchising (take our closest example, C! Magazine) and distributed regionally.
At the end of the day, the industry’s editorial circle is small enough that we’ve all probably done the rounds. Beyond the business decisions which us writers would rather not be involved in (leave it to management!), it will always be about letting a bit of blood (just a bit!) drip and mark the medium that we write for. A magazine is nothing but the mirror of the staff. 🙂
All is not lost however, for there are plans to move T3 to its proper local place — online. I know that this will be exciting for Vince, Ed, and other friends who were invited to join the team. As for Seventeen and Marie Claire, the female titles are already invested in Summit’s Female Network and GirlTalk forums. It’s just sad to see the glossy go.
Farewell T3, Marie Claire and Seventeen. Thanks for a great run. Especially you, Marie Claire — you had the most interesting features. I always looked for you in the barber shop.
