Philippines - Marine Conservation and Diving

Your day starts around 07:00 with breakfast. After breakfast the plan for the day is reviewed. Some volunteers will be doing scuba courses, others will be out doing marine research, underwater cleanups or community work. What you’ll be doing will largely be based on where you are in the volunteer program and also on personal preferences. We’ll usually have lunch around one or two o'clock - if you’re doing work far from our base, you’ll eat your lunch at a local market there. After lunch we often continue with our various activities till sometime in the afternoon. Typically this consists of entering survey-data on computers or various base work.

The evenings are different. At times you will be at work analyzing data collected on the dives or studying for your next scuba course, but often you’ll just want to relax and unwind with fellow volunteers. What you do after dinner in the evenings is very much up to yourself. You may want to organize a game or movie night, share a drink and a laugh, get people around a camp fire or something completely different. Other options would be to go on a night dive, go for a run, catch up with friends and family at home using our free WiFi, work out in our gym or just quietly read a book. It really is up to you.

When you wish to have days off, you can let us know. This may be to experience other islands elsewhere in the Philippines, to go for a visa-and-shopping run to Dumaguete, to explore the area on a motorbike or just to have a day to yourself and laze in a hammock with a book. While we feel the work we do is important, we don’t expect you to take part in everything all the time - especially if you stay for months. (But if you want to, you’re most welcome!) We understand most volunteers are not interested in working all the time, which conveniently leads us to Sundays.

Sunday is always a day off. No volunteers are allowed to do any diving, except during unusual circumstances. The reason for this is twofold - firstly it’s important to off-gas from time to time so you don’t get the "Friday Bends" (a slang term in the dive industry, where dive masters and instructors can load their bodies with gas day after day, until they eventually experience symptoms of decompression illness). Secondly we wish to give our staff a day off as well. Obviously food needs to be cooked, but other than that nothing happens on Sundays, unless you organize it yourself. (When’s the last time you went swimming in a mountain lake, visited a faith-healer or sung karaoke anyway?)

The minimum duration is 6 weeks as it takes quite a while to learn the techniques required to participate in the conservation work before you are fully able to contribute to the research programs and date collection. The longer you commit, the more time you have to learn new skills and try out different aspects of the project work.

- The 6-8 weeks volunteering program includes the option to do two diving courses, see additional fees below
- Introduction to underwater survey methodology, data collection and entry
- Reef biology lessons
- Reef and beach clean-up
- Base duties
- Further work with advanced survey methodology and data analysis
- Involvement with community work
- Support and supervision
- Unlimited diving (averaging 40 to 50 dives per month)
- Full dive gear
- Free use of snorkeling gear

- The 10-12 weeks volunteering includes program the option to do three diving courses, see additional fees below
- Introduction to underwater survey methodology, data collection and entry
- Reef biology lessons
- Reef and beach clean-up
- Base duties
- Further work with advanced survey methodology and data analysis
- Involvement with community work
- Support and supervision
- Unlimited diving (averaging 40 to 50 dives per month)
- Full dive gear
- Free use of snorkeling gear

This is only meant as a guideline or description of what a typical volunteer stay entails. Opportunities that we need to seize may present themselves; weather and local conditions, local fiestas, public holidays and many other things affect the project in a fluid, organic way that sometimes alter plans. As such, this is not an exact check list of activities you are guaranteed to take part in, but should give you a solid idea of what generally goes on, and what you’re likely to experience.

The following PADI courses are available (paid locally):
Open Water USD 85
Advanced Open Water USD 85
Rescue Diver USD 85 + First Aid USD 65

Additionally, the following courses are offered:
Nitrox USD 65
Deep Diver USD 65

No one has to do any scuba courses on the project, unless if you start as a non-diver. In that case you must do the PADI Open Water. The opportunity to do two courses (or three, if you stay 10 or 12 weeks) is entirely optional, but you can be rest assured that you will receive some of the best instruction in the world if you use the opportunity.

Minimum age to participate in this program is 18 years. Travel insurance is compulsory.

We ask volunteers to remember that the support of the local community is of absolute importance to our environmental efforts. We are the guests and must behave accordingly. With enthusiasm, a willingness to learn new things and consideration for people and culture you’ll come a long way. Upon arrival at the expedition base, you will be briefed on local culture and customs.

As a participant in the Marine Conservation Program, it's your responsibility to read the two liability documents BEFORE departure, as you will be required to agree with and sign them when you arrive at the base in the Philippines. If you do not agree with or sign the forms then you cannot participate. Please be aware that if you have any medical conditions, requiring you to answer 'yes' to any question on the medical questionnaire, you must get clearance from a doctor before you can dive. To ensure you can participate, we strongly suggest you do this prior to departure, as clearance is not guaranteed.

Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.

Volunteering and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. Alterations in activities are mainly due to changes in local conditions, which we believe is part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that they are.

Our projects range from 1 week up to approx. 30 weeks. Projects have a specified minimum stay, then it’s up to you how long you can commit. In our experience the longer you stay the more you will gain, as your understanding of the project broadens and you take on more responsibilities. Every volunteer will be given a certificate of appreciation at the end of their stay as a symbol of volunteering stay.