August, 2011
Diving in The Philippines
PADI National Geographic Specialty Course - National Geographic Projects
National Geographic Divers are adventurers, explorers, and conservationists who have an interest in scuba diving and underwater sciences that goes beyond that of the average diver.
PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Center and National Geographic Dive Center, Calypso Diving Resort is located at the centre of the world-famous White Beach on Boracay Island in The Philippines.
Two of Calypso’s divers recently completed the PADI National Geographic Diver Specialty course. Sharon Joy Chong and Tom Jenkins both chose very different
project topics which demonstrates how this course in particular, allows divers to follow their exploration and conservation interests.
Sharon chose to focus on buoyancy and photography for her project, ultimately allowing her to get colorful sharp images that she could use for recording marine life and identification.
Says Sharon: In May 2010, I decided to buy a camera with underwater casing to document what I see in my dives. I wanted to take pictures so I can do more research on the fish identification. During this time, I was basically pointing and shooting, but some of my pictures are blurred because my buoyancy wasn’t that good. In July 2011, the PADI National Geographic Specialty Course and Dive Instructor, Jade helped me improve my technique and my photos of the reef. These are in no way award winning photos but I think I have shown some improvement and feel happier about my interaction with the environment.
Tom, a Marine Biology student, chose to focus on artificial reef structures for his project.
Tom comments: If artificial reefs are well designed and constructed they can provide an instant increase in topographic complexity, stable substrate for coral settlement, fish aggregation and dive sites for divers to reduce impact on natural reefs with high concentration of diving tourists.
The aim of this short project was to get an overview of the relationship between coral growth and two artificial reefs around Boracay as of mid-2011. Different parts of a wreck, sunk in Jan 2001 were sampled to get an overview of where coral growth is favoured. Reef balls located at Balinghai were placed in Mar-May 2005 and positioned at varying depth ranging from 22-26m. Of the two reef balls sampled: one was close to the reef and one further away. 
The wreck seems to have been successful because it provides favourable conditions for coral growth (18-20m) in a location where light can easily penetrate. There is up to 50% growth on the masts and overall cover of 5% in 10 years suggests the project has been positive.
The information collected from Balinghai reef balls, placed four years after the wreck, suggests that reef balls closest to the reef are most beneficial for coral growth: these contain up to 10% cover of coral on the sides.
The PADI National Geographic Diver Specialty course provides divers with an understanding of the importance of the aquatic realm and their role in preserving the resource for current and future generations.
National Geographic Divers have demonstrated skills and completed underwater tasks that broaden their awareness while scuba diving. Higher buoyancy skill mastery fine-tunes their ability to interact appropriately with aquatic creatures and underwater structures and is a foundational skill for activities such as underwater photography. Practicing information-gathering techniques and heightening navigation skills further increases their ability to explore and take critical note of each dive site they choose to visit. This makes National Geographic Divers ambassadors for the underwater world.
Well done Sharon and Tom!
Visit Calypso Diving Resort, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan 5608, Philippines
Tel: +63 36 288 3206 or 5169, Fax: +63 36 288 3478, email: diving@calypso-boracay.com or visit the website at http://calypso-boracay.com/
July, 2011
Asia Divers latest success with PADI eLearning
Asia Divers, a PADI 5 Star Instructor Development Centre and Career Development Centre in Puerto Galera, Philippines have been taking advantage of PADI’s eLearning for the past couple of years.
Asia Divers Diving Manager and PADI IDC Staff Instructor, Allison Manis explains..
This was the first year that we had a school group complete their courses with eLearning. A group of 30 students from Dubai did a combination of Open Water and Advanced. Because they had all enrolled in PADI eLearning, we were able to get them through their courses more quickly and get them on fun dives earlier in their stay.
The group had much more fun diving instead of spending time in the classroom. It also meant that the group did over 285 extra scuba dives between them after they had completed their courses and they got to take full advantage of all the wonderful diving spots in Puerto Galera.
eLearning for a school group was very successful for us, and we are now working with another school group to do the same.
To find out more, contact Asia Divers Dive Resort at Small Lalaguna Beach, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. Email: admin@asiadivers.com
Tel 63(917)8145107, Tel/Fax 63-(43)2873205 or visit their website at www.asiadivers.com/
Visit padi.com/eLearning
PHOTO: 30 students from Dubai chose to enrol in PADI eLearning before diving with Asia Divers in Puerto Galera, Philippines.
June, 2011
Diving in The Philippines
Philippine Coast Guard and Navy complete PADI Open Water Course and Emergency First Response Training
During April over a period of 8 days, members of the Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Navy were given the opportunity to complete the PADI Open Water Diver Course and Emergency First Response Course - Primary Care (CPR) and Secondary Care (First Aid). Opening remarks were given on the first day by Alfred Ortega, City Councillor of San Fernando City and Provincial Life Guard advisor.
With 6 participants each from the Coast Guard and Navy, their busy schedule was organised by PADI Course Director, Tim Aukshun. Training took place in front of Ocean Deep, a PADI Five Star IDC Resort in San Fernando City, La Union (Central Luzon) and on the local reefs which are about 10 minutes ride from the dive shop. The Coast Guard provided 2 inflatable boats and the Navy provided one for the training programs.
Tim reports, “After the open water course was completed, the fun began on Day 5 as we injected competition between the Coast Guard and the Navy groups. A missing diver scenario and a contest during the Peak Performance Buoyancy dive provided healthy rivalry between the two groups”.
EFR training consisted of Primary Care (CPR) and Secondary Care, First Aid. The groups were given various scenarios to carry out to experience real life application. 
Working towards their PADI Advanced Course, the groups also completed the PADI Underwater Navigator, Deep, Peak Performance Buoyancy and Boat diver courses and several additional exercises in search and rescue. All participants decided to complete the PADI Advanced Course during May 2011 and then progress to the PADI Rescue Course.
A party was held for all on the last day donated by Ocean Deep. Both groups expressed thanks to PADI Asia Pacific and the staff from Ocean Deep, as they will use the training to enhance their capabilities for disaster response, evidence recovery and accident assistance.
PHOTO:
COAST GUARD, L-R standing: Kenneth Manipon, PADI OW; Wilbert Uy, PO3; Beberlyn Pagador, SW3; Katrina Ingal, ENS; Tim Aukshun, PADI Course Director; George Ursabia, Jr., CAPT; Jay Tarriel, LT JG; Ariel Bacho, PO3; Angelica Ramirez, PADI OW.
NAVY, L-R sitting: Dominador Jr. A. Merida, ENS; Peter B. Delos Reyes, PO2; Randahl R.Arceo, ENS; Jeck Rio G. Villanueva, ENS; Jan Christer M. Peralta, ENS Front: Jun Santos, PADI MSDT; Elisen Damacio, PADI OW
The photo was taken by Lory Manipon, PADI OW, and other assistance from Maribel Babina, Secretary, and Celde Aukshun, PADI ADV.
June, 2011
Diving in Philippines
Sea World in Boracay, Philippines were recently awarded the prestigious PADI Career Development Centre status.
PADI 5 Star Career Development Centres are businesses which offer professional development beyond regular instructor training. These businesses offer vocational based continuing education training to prepare individuals for dive industry careers and provide job placement services within the dive industry. PADI Members and the dive industry at large benefit from the PADI 5 Star Career Development Centres’ commitment to professional development and excellence through their unique ability to provide qualified candidates to fill industry employment needs.Owned by Korean brothers Soon Sik Kim and Hyun Joon Kim who are both PADI Course Directors, Sea World Boracay becomes the only PADI Career Development Centre in The Philippines and the first Korean Career Development Centre in the world.
A PADI Resort since 1998, Sea World became a Five Star Dive Resort in 1999 and a PADI Five Star IDC Resort in early 2000. In mid 2009, the Kim brothers expressed a keen interest in becoming a PADI CDC facility and a plan was formulated. They began renovations of both their resort and their dive shop as they wanted Sea World to become a role model facility for the other dive centres in the area to follow.
The renovations were completed in mid 2010 with both an interior fit out and a totally new design for their shop front. In December 2010, they achieved their
goal and were awarded the desirable PADI Career Development Centre Award and also became a National Geographic Dive Centre at that time.
Sea World Boracay offers a full range of PADI Courses from PADI Open Water Diver to PADI Instructor Development Courses, Continuing Education training and Specialty Diving Courses. PADI Tec Rec training is also available with full services provided for Technical Divers. Sea World is the only Dive Centre on the island of Boracay offering training in English, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, Russian, Japanese and Tagalog.
PADI Asia Pacific would like to congratulate and commend Sea World Boracay on their business achievements and wish them every success in the years to come.
To contact Sea World Boracay, Tel: +63 36 288 3033, Email: info@seaworldboracay.com or visit their website at www.seaworldboracay.com
PHOTO:
PADI Regional Manager, Jimmy Christrup (right) presents co-owner, Hyun Joon Kim with Sea World Boracay’s Career Development Centre Award.
February, 2011
Diving in Philippines
PADI Instructor success in the Philippines...
The small tropical island of Malapascua in The Philippines held its first ever PADI Instructor Exam from 8 - 9th February, 2011.
PADI Instructor Examiner, George Wegmann conducted a distinctly international program with candidates from Sweden, Canada, UK, The Philippines, United Arab Emirates and Belgium.
PADI Course Director Camille Lemmens in conjunction with PADI 5 Star IDC Centre, Thresher Shark Divers presented with 5 candidates and Course Director Angel Navarro Moya in conjunction with PADI 5 Star IDC Centre, Exotic Dive Resort had 4 candidates on the program. All 9 candidates completed the instructor exam with flying colours, resulting in a very successful outcome for all.
A premier destination for scuba divers with some of the best diving in South East Asia, Malapascua is a beautiful and, as yet, unspoiled island with white sandy beaches, lush green palm trees, surrounded by clear blue waters.
Malapascua is known for its sightings of Thresher Sharks, one of the few places in the world where this shark species can be frequently spotted by scuba divers. Besides the Thresher Sharks, more big fish like Hammerhead Sharks and Manta Rays can be seen around the island and many interesting macro critters are on the menu as well, like Frog fish, Blue Spotted octopus, Zebra crabs and mating Mandarin fish.
Congratulations to the new PADI Instructors!
Left to right - Anne Ovens, Jacqueline Bolen, Camille Lemmens (PADI Platinum Course Director), Martin Gilliland, Richard Reardon (PADI Master Instructor), Nidal Abu-Robb, Gaelle Pierre, Johan Pupillo, Angel Navarro Moya (PADI Course Director), Jesse Lou Tinapay, Leanne Hassell, Martin Eriksson and PADI Instructor Examiner, George Wegmann.