Tubigon Election Officer, Lawyer Ingemar Macarine—dubbed as the swimming lawyer, last night received an award in Makati City for his “lifetime advocacy for clean seas and beaches”.

Macarine was the first man to swim from Balicasag Island to mainland Panglao island on October 16 last year, a 13.4-kilometer swim in six hours and 45 minutes.

He has intended to swim Pamilacan Island to the shores of Baclayon, but the plan has been postponed due to the typhoons.

Macarine also made a record as the first man to swim from Santa Fe in Bantayan Island to San Remigio in mainland Cebu with a distance of 19.99 kilometers in seven hours and 45 minutes on April 12 this year, promoting “climate change awareness and tourism in San Remigio”.

He also conquered the Saranggani Bay on May 10, this year by swimming 12.95 kilometers from Maasim to Glan in Sarangani Province, a swim sponsored by the Saranggani provincial government “to promote Sarangani Bay tourism and for clean seas and beaches”.

Macarine was also known as the first Filipino from the Philippines to swim the one-kilometer Lucky Lake Swim in Lake Lane in Orlando, Florida in March 2014.

On April 7 last year, he made a record as the first Filipino to swim from Alcatraz Island Penitentiary to San Francisco City in California, United States, a 2.7-kilometer battle in one hour.

He also made a record as the first Filipino to conquer the Chesapeake Bay and the second man in history by swimming 8.1 kilometers from Bay Bridge Marina to Sandy Pointe Park Beach in Annapolis, Maryland, United States on June 9, this year.

Macarine was also the first man to swim from Basul Island to Surigao City (4.2 kilometers in two hours) on December 30, 2013; from Hikdop Island to surigao city (12.8 kilometers in three hours and 38minutes) in February 2014.

He attempted to swim from Visayas to Mindanao, as the first man to dare swimmimg from San Ricardo in Southern Leyte to Surigao City in Northern Mindanao. He failed but made a personal record of swimming 23 kilometers in five and a half hours in May 2014.

Macarine was also the first man to conquer the Babuyan Channel by swimming from Palaui Island to Mainland Sta. Ana in the Province of Cagayan (7.2 kilometers in two hours) on June 15 last year.

He was also known as the first man to conquer the Hinatuan Passage by swimming from Bucas Grande Island in Socorro, Siargao to Cagdianao in Claver of mainland Mindanao, braving 10.5 kilometers in five hours and eight minutes.

Also this year, Macarine completed a one-way crossing of the Tañon Strait by swimming 6.54 kilometers in two hours and 13 minutes from the Santander in Cebu to Sibulan in Negros Oriental on February 14; a 3.95- kilometer swim for one hour and 27 minutes, crossing Pescador Island to Moalboal in Cebu on March 15 right after finishing the 21-kilometer category of the Kawasan Marathon in Badian, Cebu.

He also completed a 4.7-kilometer swim in one hour and 55 minutes crossing Olanggo Channel from Olanggo Island to Mactan Island in Cebu in July 2014.

Macarine, born in Surigao, ended up in Bohol—operating South Seas Vision Catv System serving the franchise area of the municipalities of Tubigon and Clarin.

He was the founding president of Surigao Runners Club, the first running club in the CARAGA Region; and member of Triathlon Bohol, Team Solomon Running, and Triathlon Surigao.

He was two-time full marathon finisher for the 42 kilometers category, joining Cebu City Marathon in January 2013 and Davao City Marathon in March 2013; two-time Ultramarathon finisher for the 50 kilometers category, joining La Union Unity 50-kilometer UltraMarathon in February 2013 and Sundown Bohol 50-kilometer UltraMarathon inApril 2013; a

four-time finisher in the Ironman 70.3 finisher (1.9-kilomter swim, 90-kilometer bike and 21-kilometer run, joining Cobra Ironman 70.3 in Cebu in August 2013, Cobra Ironman 70.3-kilometer in Cebu in August 2014—finisher in Cobra Ironman (1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21km run); Eagleman Ironman 70.3-km in Cambridge, Maryland in June this year,  Cobra Ironman 70.3-km (Relay-90km bike leg).

He was also a finisher in Tabuelan Triathlon (2km swim, 90km bike and 21km run) in June 2013; 21-km Rock ‘n Roll Half Marathon in San Francisco, United States on April 6, 2014; Surfers Path Marathon (21km category) in Santa Cruz in California on May 17, this year.

Macarine said he follows the Marathon Swimming Federation Rules (such as no floating aids of whatever kind, regular swim suits only, and no physical contact with another human being or with the boats).