Subic Scuba College...

[stabes]

Hi

After a frustrating episode dealing with Subic Scuba College and it's manager Andy Davis aka "Devon Diver" I have been left with no choice but to name and shame.

I arrived in Subic, looking forward to 5 days of diving, unfortunately I arrived whilst a typhoon was in force and that prevented me from doing any diving. I had already decided as part of this trip I would undertake a EANx course.

The course was undertaken over a couple of days and the exam passed. I paid 10,000 peso and asked about my temp c-card. Andy told me not to worry as he would do a PIC online. I asked again about the tempory c-card he said not to worry as he will carry out the PIC tommorow (day i left) then PADI would contact me via email to say they have recieved my application.

I arrive back in Hong Kong and after no notification from PADI I contacted Andy via email and asked had he done my PIC. He replied that he had not as he had been ill, but would do it ASAP. After 10 days and still no contact from PADI I emailed Andy again and again and again...as to what was happening with my PIC.. he did not have the professional courtesy to reply to my emails.

I then decided to contact PADI and to my surprise told me the Subic Scuba College is not affiliated to PADI. This centre quite clearly shows its a PADI 5 Star IDC centre on its doors and windows! Blatant misrepresentation.. I then enquired about my nitrox PIC and was told they have recieved no such PIC. Further more as the Subic Scuba College we not affiliated to PADI they were not entitled to carry out PIC's online.

Luckily I had received from them receipts of the course payment and an EANx record of training stating that I had completed the exam and practical elements of the course. After many emails between PADI Asia Pacific and myself they should be able to process my application based on the documentation I have been able to produce. Big thanks to Tim Irwin at PADI.

Just be cautious of this school and "Devon Diver" as I feel totally let down by them. I have paid for and passed a course in good faith only to be treated this way. To blatantly not return emails and phone calls when you have taken money from someone is unprofessional and downright criminal.

Steer well clear of this organisation and choose a school in Subic that is registered with PADI and has an excellent reputaion..ie Johan's

In future anybody undertaking a PADI course see attached post http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/q-scuba-certification-agencies/304615-padi-certifcation-online.html this explains PIC in detail

 

[jigo]

well, we hope to hear Devon Diver's side on this issue. Havent seen him posting here in PPD for a while. no replies to PM too when i asked about diving in anvaya cove.

 

[Babydamulag]

Oh boy....let the feathers fly now. Thanks for the heads up. We are looking forward to hear what DEVON DIVER has to say.

 

[stabes]

OK here is a quick update since my original post. Below is a copy and paste from an email just received from PADI:

Thank you for your email and your concerns in regards to Subic Scuba College. Our records do show we do not have a member under that name. Following the photos you provided I was able to identify that Subic Scuba College is in actual fact a PADI 5* Instructor Development Centre. However, they are part of a multi location dive operation (Divers Network) and Subic Scuba College trades under a company name called Bella Baia Inc.

We are sorry about the confusion and I am glad you have sorted out your Eanx certification.

Finally, we would ask that you reconsider your message on Scuba Board

I was originally told by PADI that this centre was not affiliated to them. The above email now clarifes the facts of the matter. I apologise for any misinformation in my original post.

I am very grateful to PADI for there help but i am still totally disatisfied by the way Andy Davis has handled my requests for my EANx PIC.

 

[scuba_l0ver]

I still confused. I looked myself to verify your story. I did find this information

Andrew Davis - LinkedIn



This is interesting information. I am very interested how corporate names are not represented at storefront as corporate rules require it.

 

[clgsamson]

crossed my mind that Devondiver would be changing his handle to demondiver. I guess not.

I'd still like to hear his side though.

 

[kwhkg]

from facebook page of Subic Scuba College

Website:subicscubacollege.com is under construction
subicscubacollege.com is under construction
http://09083844012Parking:Parking LotPublic Transit:A 5-STAR PADI dive center, located on the beachfront of Subic Bay. We provide a full range of PADI courses, from DSD and Open Water to DSAT Technical.

We are wreck diving specialists, for which we have the perfect location... diving some of the most famous ship wrecks in the world. All of which are located less than 20 minutes transit from the dive shop, in the calm, protected waters of Subic Bay.

Our compressor room can supply hi-volume air and Nitrox, along with custom blends for Deco and Trimix.

All courses are taught in the latest design 'Wing' BCDs and excellent Scubapro regulators. We operate 2 fast speedboats, offering perfect flexibility for courses or fun diving. No expense was spared with our set-up.

 

[chip104]

hehe, this is fun.

Ok facts:
* Subic Scuba College is legit.
[-]* Your course completion has not yet been filed with PADI.[/-] <-- filed online but for some reason got lost in the PADI shuffle or due to technical difficulties.
[-]* Andy hasn't been keeping up with his emails.[/-] Andy checks his emails but was probably ignoring your incessant emails. (on vacation and proposing to the love of his life) Don't worry, he also ignored Jigo's PMs - but then again, everyone ignores Jigo.
* You haven't heard from PADI in 10 days [-](due to the course completion not yet being filed).[/-] (due to technical difficulties of the submission process)
* The level of training was of high standard.
* You are an impatient person, with all due respect.

Maybe update your other thread as well. Waiting to hear what Andy has to say.


edit: updated facts in light of Andy's post.

 

[DevonDiver]

Hi,

I am here. Apologies for not being on the forum for 2 weeks. I had the small matter of proposing to my girlfriend and (for the first time since February) some days off work. Yes, I have worked 7 days a week for the last 8 months.

Subic Scuba College is a legitimate 5*IDC. The OP obviously failed to notice the host of PADI certificates, including the 5*IDC on the walls of the classroom and behind my desk. The company operates under the business name of Bella Baia Inc, as the business owners have interests in several dive centers (both 5*IDCs) in the Philippines. If the OP had bothered to ask me, then I would have happily informed him of this. It isn't a closely guarded secret - the PADI center certificate is right on the wall in front of where he was sitting for 3 days.

The nitrox course was taught very properly....with many extras, including an intro to Gas Blending and Cylinder Filling, compressor set-ups and advanced dive planning (SAC vs Volume etc). It was way way beyond the PADI minimum course requirement. 3 days training for $208 was incredible value for money at any dive center.

A normal nitrox course takes 1 day to complete. I spent 3 days with the OP and, in addition, did my best to help him with his other holiday requirements, local area knowledge etc etc.

Sadly, there was no diving during the week of the OPs visit - a passing typhoon meant that all diving operations, for all dive centers, in the Subic area were cancelled (at the order of the Philippine Coast Guard/Seaport Operator).

Instead of knocking out the OP's course in a single day, I sacrificed some much over-due time-off to accommodate him and make sure that his trip to Subic was a not a complete wash-out. If it wasn't for the OP, I would have closed the center for that entire week as other dive centers had done.

I dont know (yet) what the snag was with the processing of the OPs online PIC. If he gave me time to investigate the matter, rather than leaping to 'name and shame' here on SB, then I am sure I could have answered his question without causing any bad feeling or ill will. I am casing the matter with PADI at the moment.

In the worst case, I will re-submit his online pic application, even though to do that will cost my dive center another certification fee (and mean I made a distinct loss in running the 3-day training course for the OP).

As an apology for the unexplained delay in the electronic processing of his certification, I would gladly offer him a further 1 days/3 dives complimentary diving at our center, should he care to return.

Rather than this silly slanging on a public forum...and a 'name and shame' for what seems to be a simple error in the electronic processing of his PIC, I would invite him to contact me. He has my email and I check this daily (via my phone) even if I am not at work to access SB.

I am sorry if the OP had a bad experience with our center. I took every effort to ensure that he got the absolute best value out of his visit to Subic Scuba College, despite the abysmal weather experienced during his visit. I am also sorry that I was not available to answer any of his enquiries last week on SB.... but there is one very happy lady as a result of my absense from work It's not often that I get time to spend time away from the center...and I was kind of pre-occupied with the business of my marriage proposal to a very wonderful ENT surgeon from Manila.

I would also suggest to the OP that contact via my personal email is a more sure-fire method of addressing a problem that posting private messages onto a forum, or conducting a name blackening campaign in the public domain.

Giving me 10 days after the course completion to resolve the problem, before a public attack, is hardly fair. Although PADI standards do state the pics must be processed before 7 days. For that delay, I do most genuinely apologise. I am back at work tomorrow and will resolve the problem as my primary concern.

Many thanks,
Andy

 

[chip104]

So that settles it. PADI's fault.

Which brings up a well-known secret in the diving industry - when in doubt, BLAME PADI.