A Boholano who has been behind drone photos and videos of lesser known attractions in Bohol that have gone viral over social media was recognized for his multimedia work during the 23rd Graphic Expo at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
Tagbilaran City native Angel Baldapan, Jr. was given the second place award for his drone video, “Beauty of Bohol,” during the expo’s drone photo and video exhibit held on May 31, the opening day of the three-day event.
The 45-second drone-captured video featured the world-renowned Chocolate Hills in Carmen and the Glowing Garden at Jardin Necitas in Pilar, among other Bohol destinations.
Baldapan who was awarded a plaque and P10,000 for placing second ascribed his successful bid to the picturesque places which he featured in his video.
Prior to the contest, Baldapan was posting online drone photos and videos of destinations in the province that have yet to gain popularity.
“There are lots of places in Bohol that need to be discovered using the social media. Those places are only known by the locals in the area but not yet known by the people from outside Bohol and even the Boholanos,” he said.
Baldapan’s efforts to promote these places have been paying off. His photos and videos of the “Coral Garden” in Loon which was also featured by the Chronicle drew the attention of national media particularly GMA 7’s Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho: Pasyal around the Philippines.
Baldapan’s aerial footage of the Coral Garden was used by GMA 7 while he was also tapped to take extra shots of the site for the network’s 10-minute episode.
The Coral Garden is located in Barangay Tangnan in Loon where a thick foliage of red seagrass emerged along a vast 1.37-square kilometer segment of the coastline after the 2013 earthquake in Bohol raised the shoal by 1.2 meters, making the underwater vegetation and even corals visible at low tide.
The new attraction gained province-wide popularity after Baldapan’s and other netizen’s photos and videos of the location were spread on social media.
According to Baldapan, he intends to continue doing aerial video shoots as part of his bid to promote lesser known destinations in Bohol.
“My main purpose when I bought a drone is only for hobby and to accept aerial video shoot for weddings and any occasions as sideline,” he said. “For now, I am happy of what I am doing. My dream is to have destination shoots.”