Why is Philippine diving snubbed?

[love2godeep]

I guess I spoke too soon. I just got the July 2004 edition of Sport Diver, and it dedicated a whole page to Tubbataha Reefs! Actually quite a nice write-up. Here's a link to some of what they said:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?p=642311#post642311

Now I'll have to worry about what will happen if people actually start flocking out there!

 

[Wolverine]

Speaking about Tubbataha Reefs, anyone interested in a trip there next April. I am trying to organise one during that period.

 

[Semi-Sub]

Come on! It's not as bad over here as they say in the papers, most of the stuffs they write are sensationalized...
Terrorism exists but it's generally limited in the south, kidnappings? as long as you don't go around flashing your money and acting like a rich fool, you won't even be noticed.

But as much as i feel bad that we're being overlooked as a dive destination, i agree that it is better for now. Aside from the reasons stated, another cause of the destruction are the divers themselves, especially the newbies. Diving is becoming very popular here and they do their check-out dives in those reefs, the newbies tend to hold on to corals, step or crash into them. Also, between March and June, the places can get really crowded with local divers, you can have as many as 25 divers in one divesite all at the same time!

In spite of those things, Diving is still great on the Phil, there are still a lot of remote places and undiscovered sites, and the prices are cheap compared to other countries.

I rarely rely on mag reviews, most of them are written by paid advertising agents anyway.

Come and see it for yourself, just don't bring the entire neighborhood.

 

[bmag]

shhhhhhhh or you'll ruin it for all of us in the know

 

[paolov]

i agree shhhhhhhhhhhh...... keep it secret that the terrorism is only in political arenas such as Cities and down South (South of mindanao for that matter, not all of mindanao) . Dive destinations are paradise.

besides the reefs haven't really recuperated from the years of abuse. though divers are still WONDERFULL !!!!

 

[eelpout]

The economy in the Philippines is the main factor why you don't here about diving. Most of the other destinations have money to advertise. As most of the posters on this subject have said, very few people have been to the Philippines to dive. You ask most Americans about diving in the Philippines all they will say is it is dangerous. It has been that way for decades.
If the dive resorts, airlines, hotels are really interested in the US market ( which is the largest dive travel market in the world) they should coordinate with each other and offer a Regular Familiarization trip for dive professionals. Dive professionals are the best people to promote a diving location. They teach, sell equipment, service equipment for our sport.
I was born in the Philippines, moved to the US and have been diving there foir years. I have a lot of friends who are involved in the diving industry. It is not looked as a profitable business right now.
I also got the feeling that a lot of people don't like to promote the area because they want to keep it to themselves. In the end that does not help the resort or the local area business wise.
I have been involved in the Scuba industry for the last 25 years. I have been all over the world and I still rate the diving in the Philippines in the top 5.

 

[jbb]

I have been involved in the Scuba industry for the last 25 years. I have been all over the world and I still rate the diving in the Philippines in the top 5.

Well the Philippines are the only tropical location I have dived in and mostly because of economics. I can afford to dive there longer than other locations and have found several dive sites and operations that I really enjoy.

So what are the other top 5 locations in your estimation.

thanks.
Jason

 

[partridge]

Hi. I am from the southern most part of Mindanao. Any further south and it's another country. I just do not see what all the fuss is about security. My father is an american. He moved here in 1968 with the Dole pineapple company. He has been here ever since. I was born and raised here. I dive every Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday with a British guy. Once a month, with an American driller who settled here. I also dive with a New Zealander. I share a few beers with another Brit. We have divers from Davao, which is about 2.5 hours away and guess what? theyre mostly white.

There are hotspots in the Philippines but it is not everything south of the Visayas.

Don't really want to be preaching here but if you just do your thing and don't go out of your way to get into trouble, you are safer here than most major cities in the world.

Ok. I'm done.

 

[Jonathan]

Last year three guys from the office wanted to do their o/w. None of them Japanese but all able to speak enough to do o/w in Japanese (much more than me!) but they did some research and it was cheaper for them to go on a Japanese 5 day package (flight and hotel) and their o/w in the Phillipines.

Not been myself yet but I want to. My Japanese instructor does his trimix courses their because it is cheaper so maybe next year...

Jonathan

 

[Gussy]

It's good that they are ignoring it!!! Let's have it all to ourselves, I'm going back in October for about 5 weeks and don't have enough time to see everything. Funny, I grew up in Negros and was there for 16 years but never noticed a thing until years later when I am living in San Francisco!