Coral reef and community conservation
Project name:
Marine Conservation Philippines
Project purpose:
Coral reef and community conservation
Project activities:
-
community awareness
-
data collection/analysis
-
habitat restoration/management
-
scuba diving
-
teaching
Weekly cost (approx USD):
$
450
Direct benefits you gain:
-
cultural integration
-
data/statistical skills
-
field research skills
-
gain a qualification or credit
-
remote scenic location
Noteworthy conservation points:
-
contributes to environmental policy
-
development goals (supporting local community)
-
publishes work
Wild Sun Rescue Center
Accommodation:
Shared accommodation
When does the project run?
Facilities:
accommodation included, food included, refillable drinking water, diving included, wifi, electricity, airport pick-up, complete scuba gear rental, marine fees paid
How long can I stay?
Requirements:
Details of the day-to-day life on the project:
This project has 3 different volunteer/internship options, please scroll down to the bottom of this section to read the specific information. The weekly cost is calculated using the standard volunteer package (8 weeks).
Day in the life
Life starts around 7:00 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, but we also take into account personal preferences. After diving, we’ll usually have lunch around one or two o clock or 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, various base work, or community outreach.
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 else entirely. 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 intererested 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 for 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 divemasters and instructors can load their bodies with gas day after day, until they eventually experience symptoms of decompression sickness). 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?
Price plans
Standard package / 8 weeks / 3600 USD
Two Free scuba courses*
Complete scuba gear rental
80-100 dives in 8 weeks
Airport pick-up
Free use of snorkeling gear when off
All marine park fees paid
Tuition and lectures
Participation in extended training
Support and supervision
Shared Accommodation
All meals
Free snacks, water, tea and coffee
MCP t-shirt
Letter of completion
Short-term package/ 6 weeks/ 2700 USD
Two Free scuba courses*
Complete scuba gear rental
60-80 dives in 6 weeks
Airport pick-up
Free use of snorkeling gear when off
All marine park fees paid
Tuition and lectures
Support and supervision
Shared Accommodation
All meals
Free snacks, water, tea and coffee
MCP t-shirt
Letter of completion
Research Internships/ 16 weeks minimum
*Science officer interns pay 600 USD/month, and other interns pay 1000 USD/month
Guidance on site from our Science Officers
Feedback session with MCP staff
Liaison and feedback with your university as/if required
Up to two free scuba courses*
Complete scuba gear rental
Up to 40-50 dives every month
Airport pick-up
Free use of snorkelling gear when off
All marine park fees paid
Tuition and lectures
Participation in extended training
Support and supervision
Shared Accommodation
All meals
Free snacks, water, tea and coffee
MCP t-shirt
Letter of completion
Reviews & ratings
Francisco
Volunteer
19 Dec 2021
An amazing project with amazing staff
I work as a travel agent, bringing volunteers to DAKTARI and other projects around the world. After helping a lot of volunteers fulfill their dreams of coming to South Africa, I managed to arrange 2 weeks to spend at the project. What a wonderful time I had starting with the staff who are so friendly and polite, the animals being taken care of as if they were family and the amazing food that was prepared catering to each of the volunteers individual needs. I can only say that if you are looking for an unique and quality experience involving a well thought out educational program and the preservation of native animal species, this is the one for you.
true
Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage
leslie
Volunteer
19 Dec 2021
great experience
i had an enjoyable stay here in DAKTARI. be surrounded by wild animals is a chance and i also loved the teaching part of my stay
true
Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage
Update or add information
Send us a form with the new details
If you would like to add pictures or videos to this projects page, please email us with the name of the project and the relevant media to: theconservationnetwork@gmail.com
Upload a picture or video!