Hailing from Naga City- Camarines Sur, “Gerry” as he is fondly called in the industry has almost thirty-five (35) years managing projects related to environmental and ecotourism concerns, coastal resources management, wildlife preservation & habitat management, scientific studies, dive instructions, resort management and emergency protocols (BLS).
Armed with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology (1978) and Masters in Science (Marine Biology – 24 units) from the University of the Philippines- Diliman, he is currently a consultant for environmental concerns with Forza Integrated Corporation
As an Auxiliary Commodore with the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA), Gerry is the Vice Deputy National Director for Administration, National Directorate and Director for Marine Environmental Protection Support Group of the organization.
With more than 3 decades of involvement with the marine environment and its protection, his career has taken him to Fiji, Christmas Islands- Kiribati and Marshall Island to do live fish trade surveys, environmental education training in Jerusalem, to exotic resort locations to set-up its facilities (Samal & Amanpulo), Northern Palawan to do biological studies on the Dugong (sea cow), Republic of Comores- Africa for the Biological Survey of the Coelacanth Fish (Latimeria sp.), and to El Nido and Coron for the control and management of the Crown of Thorns Starfish among others.
Aside from being a diving instructor with PADI and IANTD and as a previous Commissioner and Executive Director of the Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD), Gerry is also a professional underwater videographer & cinematographer.
He was the Director of Photography (underwater scenes) for the French movie, Slaves of the Sea (Esclaves de Mer). He was also the resource person for the following international broadcasting companies during the filming of their documentaries: CNN – Our Planet with Gary Stryker, National Geographic Channel series- Sea Stories and Earth Pulse, Heroes of the Planet, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) – Blue Planet, Public Broadcasting System (California-based) – Global Tribe, French TV Documentary – Thalassa.
Local broadcasting networks that he collaborates with are the Lakbay TV, ISLA – the Advocacy Channel, Born to be Wild GMA 7, Probe Team ABS-CBN and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) among others.
The spirit of volunteerism is alive and well in Gerry with his latest involvement in the retrieval of the bodies of passengers of the M/V “St. Thomas Aquinas” which sank off Cebu in August 2013 and in retrieval of the right engine of Cessna 2442, the ill-fated plane of the late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo, 26 August 2012 in Masbate.
Filipino Cave Divers 