from 2,880€

Outstanding 5rating (28)

Supporter for Marine Conservation

location
6 - 50 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Outstanding 5  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Highlights

  • Volunteer and help conserve the marine environment in the Philippines
  • Acquire and develope excellent diving skills throughout the project
  • Extend your trip to become a PADI dive master
  • Use the outdoor jungle gym or visit the whole botanical garden which is more than ten hectares
  • Explore neighbor islands throughout the weekends and cliff dive into amazing azure blue lagoons

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups
50+

About the program

Join us as a volunteer, learn scientific diving and study marine biology, help campaign and meet people from all over the world who may end up as your lifelong friends.

If you are not certified as a diver already, you will start your participation in our program by getting licensed through the PADI system of education. As the work we carry out on fragile reefs require divers with excellent skills, we add additional practice and excursion dives until you’re ready ...

About the program

If you are not certified as a diver already, you will start your participation in our program by getting licensed through the PADI system of education. As the work we carry out on fragile reefs require divers with excellent skills, we add additional practice and excursion dives until you’re ready for the task. Typically volunteers do one or two courses, but some who volunteer for ten weeks or more, do multiple courses or even complete their dive master. However the project is not a dive shop and people come here to take part in conservation, so we ask everyone to be flexible with their course wishes, as the instructors can only do so much. The priority is turning non-diving volunteers into diving volunteers ASAP - then after that, it's adding to the skillset of experienced divers, who wish to do additional courses. Taking your open water course through a demanding environmental organization instead of a lax commercial dive shop, makes you one badass diver!

Duties performed by most volunteers are: 

  • Participating in two daily scientific scuba dives mon-fri. Saturdays we frequently go exploring new sites or go fun diving instead of doing working dives. (provided we are meeting our deadlines) 
  • Kitchen duty (the duty rotates between groups, so you have one day a week just setting table, doing dishes - our cooks does the real magic) 
  • Taking care of mangroves and participating in replanting efforts when possible.
  • Doing afternoon seagrass surveys while snorkeling
  • Helping clean reefs and beaches of plastic garbage typically  once weekly. (We do so in between scientific dives) 
  • Cleaning personal dive gear daily and dive shed once a week
  • Help prepare various outreach activities and community clubs (Earth Club, Lutoban Kids Club, etc) 
  • In school periods, you may help go and deliver lessons together with our staff (we'll teach you how!) in local schools. 
  • Cleaning the base and your own bungalow every Monday. 
Volunteering is for people who want to get involved and get their hands dirty. Don’t expect any luxury at camp (well, other than the food which is amazing!). Accommodation is charming, but primitive. There are shared bathrooms and almost everything runs off solar power, including the wifi. There’s an outdoor jungle gym, and the whole botanical garden is more than ten hectares - large enough to go adventuring.

Your underwater adventure starts here. Join us, get involved, and help kick ass for mother Earth!

Packing list

The Philippines is hot and often humid too. We suggest you choose light clothes. Most volunteers who bring more than a pair or two of long pants and/or anything with long sleeves never use it. If you are a woman and want to be able to do work in the local community (like teaching in schools), please bring some items of clothing that covers your shoulders (a normal t-shirt would be perfectly fine) and either some shorts that aren’t too short or a skirt or trousers. Guys need to cover shoulders too on formal occasions.

If you are prone to getting bitten by mosquitoes, consider bringing some repellant. You do not need malaria-meds, as there is no malaria here. November till June are almost completely dry months, and there are very few mosquitoes anyway. Outside of those months it is also a good idea to bring a rain coat, just in case. It’s recommended to bring a little cheap flashlight. You do not need to bring any bedlinen, sleeping bags or similar – we got you covered. You do however need to bring your own towel(s) and toiletries. You will also need high SPF sunscreen. Please, please get a brand that is coral safe. 



Typical day

While you stay with Marine Conservation Philippines, there’s a great number of projects you can participate in. In fact there’s so much to do, that you can’t do it all. Some of our projects are continually ongoing – for example hands-on beach clean ups and the surveying of coral reefs. While ...

Typical day

While you stay with Marine Conservation Philippines, there’s a great number of projects you can participate in. In fact there’s so much to do, that you can’t do it all. Some of our projects are continually ongoing – for example hands-on beach clean ups and the surveying of coral reefs. While surveying we document the spread of habitats, species abundance as well as damage to coral reefs. Our biologists constantly work on various projects; studies of particular fishes, reef restoration or rehabilitation of species that’s been harvested to topical extinction. If you are a non-diver you’ll spend quite a while becoming a safe proficient scuba diver through the PADI program of Education. Depending on the length of your stay you can choose to do multiple diving courses (our rule is that you can do one course for each four week segment you're with us.)  For people who are really ambitious and can spend more time, we even do dedicated divemaster training (if this is interesting to you, please get in touch with us to discuss possibilities) 

Besides volunteer activities in the water, a great deal goes on on land as well. Part of what we do is visit local schools and tell about our work and what goes on in the sea. By affecting future generations we believe we may help change the future. We try to create artificial divesites (such as deliberately scuttled wrecks or underwater sculpture parks) to create breeding grounds for fish in marine protected areas, as well as promote local and regional dive tourism. Local revenue and job generation from dive tourism can easily outweigh that brought about by destructive fishing practices. At MCP we also do various community outreach programs – we teach first aid and try to lend a hand with various community work when needed.

The daily rhythm

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 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 if you stay for months. (But you’re most welcome to do so!)  If you want to go exploring other islands, we really appreciate if you try and do it over the weekend, so it impacts our work as little as possible.  

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 divemasters 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. On Sundays the kitchen is open, so you can cook your own food - but you can also go to on of the resorts in the area and order a pizza or whatever you've developed a craving for. Other than that nothing happens on sundays, unless you organize it yourself. (When’s the last time you went swimming in a mountain lake,  or sung karaoke anyway?)


Free-time activities

When you volunteer, you will be busy. There is not a lot of free time - the day starts early at seven, and often you're not done with the work for the day until the late afternoon. You will generally dive twice a day, six days a week. You're tired when you're done!  In the weekends however, there ...

Free-time activities

When you volunteer, you will be busy. There is not a lot of free time - the day starts early at seven, and often you're not done with the work for the day until the late afternoon. You will generally dive twice a day, six days a week. You're tired when you're done!  In the weekends however, there are many opportunities to go exploring. You can drive around - there's caves, waterfalls, naturally hot geothermal streams, mountain lakes, resorts and lots to see.  There's nearby islands where you can visit black magicians (yes, really!) or cliff dive into amazing azure blue lagoons.  Or you may prefer just going to a nice resort, lazy in hammock and enjoy a swimming pool and milkshakes. 


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (intermediate level)

Required Documents

Liability releases and diving health questionnaire

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Marine Conservation Philippine

The volunteer fee covers:  


  • Accommodation 
  • Three daily meals + as many snacks and fruits as you want
  • Free tea, coffee and water
  • All scuba diving costs
  • Marine park fees
  • Complete scuba gear rental of your own personal kit, including a personal dive computer for the whole duration. 
  • Wifi (shared broadband... 3rd world internet. We cannot promise it'll always work.)
  • A complimentary MCP T-shirt
  • Supervision in all activities
  • Transportation from/to the airport
  • All scuba training required (PADI manuals have to be either brought or purchased, plus certification fees) 
Kindly note that volunteer who wish to do any PADI course with us, will have to either bring their own manuals or purchase them from us. They will also need to pay the certification fee to PADI. 

The total fees for any courses (manuals + certification) are: 

Open Water Diver 85 USD
Advanced Open Water Diver 85 USD
Rescue Diver 85 USD
Nitrox Diver 85 USD
Deep Diver 65 USD
Divemaster 350 USD

Airport Pickup at Dumaguete Airport

Let us know when your flight comes in, and we'll pick you up in the airport.  You'll likely ride together with other volunteer, as we only take in new participants twice a month, every second Monday. 

Accommodation

Please find pictures of the dorms in the gallery. We have both single sex dorms, and shared dorms. If you're a couple, you will of course be in a shared dorm. 


The dorms are built in the style of Balinese Lumbungs, mostly using material found in the botanical garden the research camp is based in (Yes, it's an actual botanical garden!)  The dorms are airy are pretty nice.  Every volunteer has a private locker, big enough for a backpack and some stuff. Additionally, everyone has a private locker with a power socket inside, so you can charge your gadgets while you're out diving.  The mattresses are really good, theres fans in the dorms, and everyone has a mosquito net. (There's hardly any mosquitoes or other bugs in the dry season from January to June) 

Food & Beverages

When you’ve been out scuba diving all day, you’ll have a healthy appetite. Our cooks prepare three meals a day. We can cater to any allergies, and there's always vegetarian and vegan options. 

Generally we try to eat local foods, and try to source all our supplies from the local market. This is because we put an emphasis on reducing our carbon footprint as much as possible, and because we wish to support local commerce and farmers. The climate allows fruit and vegetables to grow all year round, but many things are seasonal. 

We buy our meat from the local market. The local farmers typically have a fairly small number of chicken and pigs. These are free-range animals, that walk around freely and are really healthy animals, compared to the medicated and poorly treated animals known from industrial farming in the West.

Breakfast

If you’re going scuba diving, you’ll need some solid fuel to keep you going all day. Every day – except Sunday, we begin our day with a continental breakfast consisting of cereal and milk, bread, cheese, butter, jam, fresh fruits and of course tea and coffee. Since Sunday is a day off for all staff members, we open the kitchen for you to prepare your own breakfast.

Lunch

Since many different activities are going on during the day, lunch is generally served from 12 to 2 pm. Lunch is almost always a hot meal, but volunteers who participate in activities far away from base may prepare a lunchbox or eat at a local market.

Dinner

At MCP we see the evening meal as a time to talk about highlights of the day, discuss current events, and just as a good time to get to know each other better. Dinner is served around 7pm and everyone eats together. Participation isn´t mandatory, and if you wish to go out and try something else for a change you’re welcome to do so – but please let us know in advance, so we don’t waste food cooking for you. 

Our cook prepares and serves a variety of local specialties. A typical evening meal will consist of vegetarian dishes, possibly cooked or barbecued meat, vegetables and rice. Occasionally, when supplies allow we serve western meals such as burgers or tortillas or a nice roast. Saturday night we always have a barbecue, which is the highlight of the week for many - as the food is great! 

Should you suffer from any kind of food allergy, we’ll cook suitable replacement meals for you. Please give us notice about any (serious) allergies prior to arrival. We cook vegetarian meals/sides for vegetarians, and our cook is happy to cook vegan meals too. (Do note though, that a lot of the “replacement” food items, like vegan butter, etc. that you may be able to find in stores abroad is unavailable here. Soy milk and tofu is always available though.). 

While not fanatical, we try to avoid food additives as much as possible.

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Dumaguete Airport (DGT) in Dumaguete. We assist you to find cheap flights to Philippines. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Philippines provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in Philippines you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Philippines. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

Marine Conservation Philippines accepts new volunteers every second Monday.

We offer free pickup from Dumaguete (DGT) airport on arrival Mondays. Volunteers who need to arrive a few days prior will have to find accommodation in Dumaguete (which is a really nice town!) until the actual arrival day. 



Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

6 weeks (min. stay) 2,880€
8 weeks 3,840€
10 weeks 4,800€
12 weeks 5,760€
14 weeks 6,528€
16 weeks 6,912€
18 weeks 7,488€
20 weeks 8,064€
22 weeks 8,448€
24 weeks 8,832€
50 weeks (max. stay) 13,440€
Average fees 374€/week

Program fees

374€ per week 6 - 50 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

6 - 50 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Marine Conservation Philippine during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Marine Conservation Philippine

Outstanding 5 rating (28 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2015

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Soren

About the project

Help local communities protect reefs and mangroves, conduct scientific diving and learn marine biology.

Meet your organization

Marine Conservation Philippines is a non-profit based in the Visayas region of the Philippines. Our underwater world is under tremendous pressure – too much garbage and litter, especially plastic is being thrown in, and too many fish are being fished out. Only 0,1 percent of the seas are covered by coral reefs, yet these fragile reefs are home to an astounding 25% of all marine species. The Philippines are the middle of the coral triangle, and with a land mass of 7000 islands it has a unique topography with a collective stretch of shoreline, longer than any other nation in the World. This means that the Philippines are home to more coastal reefs than anywhere else in the world, making it the frontline of the fight for preservation of fragile marine habitats. 

We dare to dream of a future and of a sea where our kids and their kids can still marvel at grazing sea-turtles and sharks and where coastal communities enjoy adequate fish-stocks for the next generations. We invite you to dream that dream with us. 

MCP is a Philippino based NGO working to preserve fragile marine habitats like coral reefs and mangrove forests and improve quality of life for marginalised fisherfolk in the central Philippines. MCP is a volunteer based organisation where international volunteers can join a large professional team of marine biologists, scientists, teachers and dive instructors, and help tackle the myriad problems and issues facing the Oceans today. Participation in the program involves extensive scuba diving activities. Volunteers need not be qualified divers prior to starting - they can learn as part of the program.

In a travel market saturated by green washed volunteer programs made by for-profit companies, this program is the real McCoy. MCP is a registred non-profit working under the auspices of the local government, and in collaboration with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Department of Natural Resources and a number of European universities. Besides volunteer fees, MCP is financially supported by the Rufford Foundation and other international trusts and charities and provides consultancy and aid to the local municipalities in coastal resource management. The staff to volunteer ratio is 1:1 or better and the work of the volunteers makes an actual difference! 

As a volunteer-based organisation, we depend on volunteers both to keep operational and to conduct the work at land and at sea.  Some volunteers have a background in biology and many are already scuba divers. Neither is required however, and non-divers can learn scuba diving through the PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water course before starting the in-water work.  What we do require from everyone, besides obviously   the desire to help preserve some critically endangered environments, is the understanding that you do so at the expense of some creature comforts. We expect everyone to understand that volunteering with us is no resort stay or a five star holiday. Volunteering is for people who like getting their hands dirty – no-one is here to make other peoples beds or clean their rooms, there’s very long days in the water, and it might be your turn to lend a hand in the kitchen or water plants in the mangrove nursery. We all bunk in together, and it really is a bit like camping out. Camp fires and story telling included. 

Our operational area currently spans about 60 kilometres of coastline on the island of Negros Oriental, some of it encompassing some incredible dive sites such as the reefs of Dauin, and right across from our base lies world famous and stunning Apo Island. 

Besides the work actually making a difference, volunteering with MCP also ticks the all the happy boxes! It is bonfires and marshmallows, it’s diving with sea turtles, it’s meeting new friends from all over the world, it’s learning stuff about reef biology that will blow your mind, it’s learning how to dive, it’s meeting the locals, It’s petting a goat, and naming the gecko in the room. It’s seeing rare and endangered wildlife. It’s discovery, adventure and camaraderie. it’s getting sparkling white smiles from locals kids and toothless grins from their grandmothers. It’s all of this and more.

28 reviews · rating5

Neil Lipps rating5

2023 at Supporter for Marine Conservation

After 7 amazing weeks at MCP I can just say a big thank you to all the staff and volunteers making that place so great. I arrived at MCP with about 110 fun dives and a lot of volunteers with 30-40 dives at MCP where already better divers than I was at that time, that showed how high their level ...
Rikke Schubart rating5

2023 at Supporter for Marine Conservation

A life-changer. A unique experience that I am extremely happy to have had. I wish I had taken more weeks instead of only 6 weeks. In all ways a great experience that I can only recommend no matter your age. Thanks to the staff - all the instructors that I had were much better than what I have tried ...
Pernille Kornbeck Schmidt rating5

2023 at Supporter for Marine Conservation

I was supposed to stay at MCP for 8 weeks, but I couldn’t leave that amazing place, lovely staff and all the great volunteers! I had to extend for 2 more weeks! It have been 10 weeks with learning about diving, live underwater and environment changing! Besides that I got friends for live and an ...
Ofelia Martinez rating5

2023 at Supporter for Marine Conservation

After 6 amazing weeks of volunteering at MCP, two courses, new friends and lots of dives, memories and fun, I sadly had to say goodbye to a great life experience! From the very first email to the last hug one can feel the engagement of the amazing staff running the always-looking-for-improvement ...
Matthew Cato rating5

2023 at Supporter for Marine Conservation

I have just finished a 6-month program at MCP and had the experience of a lifetime. Learned so much about how to identify different types of fish and coral. Made friends for life that come from all across the globe. Food was incredible, staff are inspiring and the actual base itself is so clean and ...
Marlon Lummer rating5

2023 at Supporter for Marine Conservation

I was a volunteer in MCP for 6 months, first time traveling solo, it was a super unique and rewarding experience. Not only the diving was breathtaking but also the staff. You can really tell that they love this job and want to pass on their love for diving and marine conservation. I really enjoyed ...

Location

Asia > South East Asia > Philippines > Zamboanguita

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