Why is Philippine diving snubbed?

[Hammerhead]

Exploitation: we've witnessed how so many marine life have been destroyed and vandalised by well, unfortunately, guests from other countries, and we dont like more of that to happen.

Ish,

Not ganging up on you, but that's very unfair. If you'd started diving in the mid-90's with me in PG, you'd have seen these same expatriates pooling resources from their incomes to provide incentive money for the local fishermen to ship outside the diving area.

Results? Catches are up as the locals are now fishing a much larger area. Diving has boomed. The reef (typhoons aside) is far healthier and fish stocks are up.

You'd have also seen the expatriates using their own profits to bribe local officials into making the immediate Small Lalaguna / Sabang Bays into no fishing zones. True they were looking after their own interests, but as long as that goes with protecting the area, I'm OK.

There's more than meets the eye here and local intransigence and corruption (not talking about the pinoy DMs / staff / businesses that benefit from dving commerce, of course) is a major hurdle, and a major reason why foreign money has been so slow to trickle in.

Meanwhile local entrepreneurs are all-too-familiar with graft and that blunts their competitive streak in a business environment that requires significant initial outlay.

This is painful for me to say, as I love the place and have many pinoy friends, but basically many foreigners are uncomfortable with the level of corruption in the PI, and the perceived untrustworthiness of officials. For all my love of the place, on the whole, they're right :sad:

 

[pakman]

yeah blame those corrupt officials... like Caloy using taxpayers' money to go diving... j/k

 

[Hammerhead]

I wasn't going to mention Caloy, I mentioned him earlier if you see what I mean...

 

[NYC-Diver]

I remember the owner of LBC in Puerto only half-joking when he said he was going to put a big sign "Beware of the Sea Snakes" on the beach to scare all the locals from walking on the coral during low tide in front of the beach.

Foreign divers can't be totally blamed for degradation of the reefs. I've met plenty of foreigns who spear fish but not a single one who dynamite fishes.

Best corruption story -- a co-worker (the one stabbed in the back, I mentioned) getting caught riding a motorcycle without license. He didnt have enough pera for a bribe, so the cops had him follow them to an ATM to get more.

 

[paolov]

sure some divers destroy some corals and marine life.

but nothing like the destruction brought about by DYNAMITE, CYANIDE and Pollution !

it can be compared to :

divers destruction of marine life = homicide

dynamite, cyanide, pollution = hollocaust ! Genocide ! WMD !!!


who then has more fault in the destruction of Da In Reefs Philippines ?
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[NYC-Diver]

Once in Phils and once in China I was diving when I heard and FELT the BOOM from dynamite fishing. Both times, I think my heart stopped.

 

[Babydamulag]

The arguement continues......<sigh>.......we love the Philippines, we hope our guests love the Philippines too. THe pollution from over building too close to the beaches, improper fishing practises, and vandals have caused damage around the world. We are doing our best here to right the wrongs. COme to the Philippines and enjoy our beautiful country {sweeping statement from your very own BABYDAMULAG}
.....and think I was a Kano!

 

[paolov]

.....and think I was a Kano!

"was" ...so you no longer are Kano?

on the note of proximity to beaches. there is a law that states that any structure has to be AT LEAST 50 meters from shore line....

well and behold.... MOST of the resort at batangas are in much less proximity to the minimum..... ENFORCEMENT....that is because the enforcers, the LGU are not well informed of the reason of that wisdom in the Law......

IGNORANCE IN GOVERNANCE that is the reason for the woes of the Philippines. I LOVE MY COUNTRY the PHILIPPINES , i just don't love ignorant government people.

and this is not a political statement it is my love interest or the lack of it.

but don't worry in the next couple of years.... the fruits of the seeds shall be known...(don't ask..it's secret for now... but PPD shall know of it when it is right time )

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[clgsamson]

@ Pak - gov't money funding my diving? hehe you forgot to mention the Dslr!

@Larry -

 

[Halthron]

well and behold.... MOST of the resort at batangas are in much less proximity to the minimum..... ENFORCEMENT....that is because the enforcers, the LGU are not well informed of the reason of that wisdom in the Law......

IGNORANCE IN GOVERNANCE that is the reason for the woes of the Philippines. I LOVE MY COUNTRY the PHILIPPINES , i just don't love ignorant government people.

One of the big problems throughout the non-industrialized world is this selective enforcement. The enforcement officers should be enforcing the law, whether they think there's a good reason for it or not.