Derrick dares to dive with ‘butanding’

Derrick Monasterio

There is more to Derrick Monasterio than his hunky bod and dreamy good looks.

On a break from the hectic taping schedule of his prime-time soap opera “Inday Will Always Love You,” the Kapuso actor checked off a long-cherished item on his wish list last week.

Derrick got to fulfill his dream of diving with whale sharks.

Derrick Monasterio. Photo courtesy of GMA Corporate Communications

“It was surreal,” Derrick excitedly told the Inquirer about his close encounter with the beloved butandings of Oslob, Cebu. “I didn’t get scared. I enjoyed every minute of swimming with the whale sharks!”

Since some scenes of “Inday” are being shot in Cebu, he has grown accustomed to the place and its people, and has grown to love its natural treasures—on land and in the seas.

He has been revving up for this epic dive for so long.

“I always read about whale sharks in travel magazines,” he related. “That was how I got to know about them, and three years ago, I decided to add swimming with whale sharks to my bucket list.”

The Oslob side trip gifted him with a slew of lessons on marine protection and conservation, he explained. He recalled that the butandings’ stewards had given him helpful tips prior to the dive.

“I was very careful about following the do’s and don’ts while swimming with them, such as not wearing sunblock and not touching them,” he recounted. “I learned how the whale sharks gave the city of Oslob a distinct identity and popularity as a tourist attraction. I firmly believe everybody should take part in caring for them.”

Interacting with the butandings has taught him the preciousness, and vulnerability, of all life. “We should take care of them just like how we would take care of ourselves,” he remarked. “Personally, I’ve learned that these intelligent creatures are fragile, and they badly need protection.”

He has become “more conscious about the way we treat our oceans and those that live in it, especially after seeing pictures of creatures getting caught up in different plastic waste made by people.”

Mom Tina Monasterio, however, has mixed feelings about Derrick’s latest adventure. “I was definitely thrilled and awed, but also a bit worried.”

She is concerned because he’s too “daring” at times. “But I will always support his advocacies and discipline him, if needed. Overall, I am proud of my son!”