About Blue Freedom Apnea

We give people the keys to their own underwater freedom

Blue Freedom Apnea is an AIDA certified freediving club and non-profit based in Panglao Island, Philippines that provides high quality freediving courses and training to both clients and interns. Our non-profit initiatives extend to giving local government units free underwater training and providing job opportunities to Filipino locals.

THE FOUNDER AND CO - FOUNDER OF BLUE FREEDOM APNEA

Giorgio Mariotti
Blue Freedom Apnea, Founder

The man who started it all; Blue Freedom Apnea’s founder, Giorgio Mariotti. Born in a sleepy small town in Ancona, Italy, he started freediving on his own at the young age of 15. When he turned 22, he started competing and safetying in many local and international freediving events. His personal bests include: 70 meters depth and 6 mins and 30 seconds breathhold!

He’s a certified AIDA Instructor Trainer and is credited for teaching over 2000 students over the last 4 years. That includes his wife, Debora, who is now officially a 5th place national record holder for static breathhold.

An avid traveller, he spent a few years in India and Sri Lanka mastering yoga and meditation skills. There, he was enlightened on what his purpose on this earth is. Giorgio realized that freediving is a skill that everyone should learn. The mental and physiological benefits of the practice not only improves the individual freediver, but also the collective society as a whole.

And that is why he came here to Panglao Island, in the Philippines and opened up his freediving club, Blue Freedom Apnea. The goal of BFA is to provide a safe and enjoyable education to as many people as possible. One great byproduct of this mission is that the club/non-profit is also giving job opportunities to the local community.

Over the years, Giorgio’s fledgling club has turned into a bonafide real movement. His marketing efforts have improved the industry’s appeal as a whole and turned a lot of non-swimmers into freedivers.

What’s even more impressive is that he did this in the midst of the turmoil of the pandemic. Who knows where we’ll end up once the borders are open yet again?

Deborah Mariotti - Blue Freedom Apnea - AIDA Instructor

Debora Mariotti
Blue Freedom Apnea, Co-Founder

Introducing Debora Mariotti: From Fear to Mastery – Co-Founder of Blue Freedom Apnea and the Youngest Freediving Instructor in the Philippines
Meet Debora Mariotti, the co-founder of Blue Freedom Apnea, a living testament to overcoming fears and diving headfirst into the world of freediving. Debora is not only the youngest freediving instructor in the Philippines and the first female freediving instructor in Bohol, but she also holds the title of the first Aqua Queen of the Universe 2023. As a certified AIDA instructor and Molchanovs Wave 3 Master Freediver, she has become the 5th official Static Apnea National record holder in the Philippines with an impressive time of 4 minutes and 32 seconds!

Just a few years ago, Debora couldn’t even swim, and her fear of the ocean bordered on Thalassophobia. However, in June 2020, destiny had other plans when she met her future husband and freediving enthusiast, Giorgio Mariotti. Under his guidance and support, Debora’s life took a remarkable turn, and within a year, she transformed into one of the most accomplished freedivers in the Philippines.

Debora’s personal records include an astonishing 41.4m CWT/FIM, 25m CNF, unofficial STA of 5 minutes, and a remarkable 90m DYNB. But what sets her apart is her unwavering passion for teaching and inspiring others. She finds immense joy in introducing non-swimmers and beginners to the magical world of freediving, helping them conquer their fears and embrace the wonders beneath the waves.
With this passion at heart,

Blue Freedom Apnea was born. This freediving club is Debora’s vision come to life, offering people the chance to not only learn freediving but also to discover their inner strength and potential. As a talented underwater photographer, Debora also captures the breathtaking moments her students experience in the depths of the ocean.

Join Debora and the Blue Freedom Apnea team on this extraordinary journey, where you’ll explore the vast underwater world and realize that, with determination and the right guidance, anything is possible.