Best place for a dive master course in the Philippines?

Hello!

I am a 26 years old 30+ avanced OW planning to go for a dive master. I thought "why not in the philippines?" : seems quite cheap, heard loads of good things about diving there...

Ideally, I'd go for one or two months, taking it easy: some fun diving to get back on track, then rescue and DM over a long period :
Thus, I am looking for a dive operator with a good reputation, a place where it could be possible to work for the operator or the resort while taking the course (ideally get the accomodation and/or the food in exange, partially or totally).

If anybody knows, has any idea where i could find some info, let me know. :huh: Thanks!

PS: if you know a place like this ouside philippines, tell me also, i could change my mind!

Nobody has anything to say about it?

Come on guys, I am sure many of you have some experience to share!

Any advice??

And by the way, what about the VIS right now in Philippines/ predictions for October??

I did DM and IDC in 2001 with Aisa Divers in Puerto Galera, Phil. Contact Dave Ross at info@techasia.ph. He can answer your questions.

Here's their website: http://www.asiadivers.com/asia/index.html.

You can tell Dave that Drew referred you to him.

Drew

Try Dennis Catienza. NAUI instructor. Best there is. Not spamming you at all. My wife went to his OW course and I sat in through the lectures, pool sessions and checkout dive. He's good. His strict and firm, but all for your benefit and safety. Let me know if you want him to teach you. BTW, he's trained over a couple of dozen officemates of mine (36 or so) over the past 5 years. Just to show you how good he is.

Best,
Hory

My Wife and I just did Rescue course in Malapascua. (I would Highly recommend it, most interesting diving I have experrienced).

My instrustor was Garry MacKenna from Bubble07. Great instructor and really made the effort to make sure to absorbed the materials. Garry is decidedly the best teacher amoung all the instructors/divemasters I have met.

My Wifes instructor was Edon-san (Japanese) who came up from Bohol to do the course. He seemed more interested in issuing the certificate than actually teaching her anything and they skipped quite a bit of material.

We did our Nitrox at the same time and my wife did that through Gary rather than Endo despite the language difficulties.

(Endo taught our friends OW at the same time and pased them even without having done a boat entry, we think just so he could push them onto the AOW course.)

Endo also implied that we might be able to "buy" our Divemaster through him.

So...
There are instructors in the Phillipines that will give you an easy pass and there are also some really good ones like Gary. Vey important to interview them beforehand.

If you are serious about making a career then you will have people lives in your hands and it is important to fully absorb the materials.
Even though the cost is quite cheap I feel you should also get your moneys worth.

We will go back to Gary to do our DM in two parts this year and next.

Hmmm... DM course in the Phil? Not really sure who's the BEST since that would probably be very relative...

Try contacting Nathan Floro at nvfloro@info.com.ph

or Robbie Formoso at +639178380395

Robbie is currently my instructor for AOW and was my instructor for OW. I will stay with him for my Nitrox class as well. AFAIK, he's certified in PADI, NAUI, and TDI (don't know what other certs he has though...that's all I remember)

He's pretty fair, and thourough... he does have his own teaching technique that incorporates other dive instructions from other schools.

I am pretty comfortable with him, and I feel he teaches a lot more practical real-world techniques... classroom sessions are pretty informal, at least with me, he does 1-on-1 lecture sessions.

He has been helping me with all my AOW classes because I expresses interest in getting DM certification as well...

Anyway, if you're not comfortable with either one, I'm sure they can recommend someone else as well.

Good luck!

John Lacson

I did my DM in Philippines a few months ago and also travelled around the country a bit. My reasoning was you gotta do it somewhere you can live for a couple of months so forget Malapascua (too small) and Puerto Galera (too dirty). I went for Boracay the main tourist island which is fantastic.

Amazing beaches (some deserted) windsurfing and kitesurfing on one side of the island diving on the other.

Diving there is pretty good but the beauty of it are that the dive trips leave freom there and APO REEF is a must. Other places diss the diving in Boracay and while it may be true that it is not the best the Phils has to offer it is pretty good and living on the island is great. I think jealousy has something to do with that.

Check out fisheyedivers.com. Tell them Gav sent you. They are cool - a good shop and a good laugh. Let me know if you decide to go there and I'll give a few more pointers.

Good luck.

Gavin once bubbled...
you gotta do it somewhere you can live for a couple of months so forget Malapascua (too small) and Puerto Galera (too dirty)....

Click to expand...

Just curious as to why you think too small is a bad thing ?

Dude:

As an AOW diver with 30 dives why would anyone give you free room and board and a diving education????

Find a nice dive shop, like the one I did my education at dive@divescotty.com.

You pay for your DM at a reduced rate and dive all you want while doing your education. No tank humping or floor sweeping.

I did a 9 month internship and did about 400 dives for $1250.00 (us). Then they hired me.

Send us an email.

johnny

Totally agree with Johnny,

sure there are plenty of "deals" available but IMHO forget them !

Pay your money and do your course.

Together with the host of great opperators there are a number who use DM's as dive slaves - particually if you are bonded. Far better to pay for your course and then look for a decent job ( well OK just a job !). You are then in control.

Having said that I think SE Asia is a good place to DM - accomodation is cheap and there is a lot to see - both in and out of the water.

good luck

Blue