Marine Conservation Philippines (MCP) is a locally registered non-profit NGO based in Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental, operating from a research compound inside Siit Arboretum, a botanical garden roughly 300 meters from the coast. Established as a volunteer-driven scientific diving operation, MCP focuses on coral reef preservation, mangrove restoration, and food security for coastal communities in southern Negros. The organization holds PADI Five Star Conservation Facility status and works under the auspices of the local government in collaboration with DENR, DA-BFAR, and USAID’s Fish Right program. Additional funding comes from the Rufford Foundation and the Philippine Army Finance Center Producers Integrated Cooperative, which donated over PHP 2 million in research and diving equipment.
MCP’s primary survey area covers the southern coast of Negros Oriental from Dumaguete south through Zamboanguita and Siaton to Sta. Catalina, an area where seagrass meadows, mangroves, and coral reefs coexist in close proximity. The team regularly surveys all marine protected areas in Zamboanguita and Siaton, producing biannual MPA status reports distributed to local stakeholders. Nearby dive destinations including Dauin and Apo Island sit within easy reach. MCP has expanded capacity-building activities northward, training government dive teams in the BATASS municipal alliance covering Bais, Amlan, Tanjay, San Jose, and Sibulan, and has provided support for mangrove eco-tourism development in Victorias, Negros Occidental.
A core staff of around a dozen marine biologists, scientists, and PADI dive instructors conducts 22,000 to 24,000 scientific survey dives annually, documenting species abundance, substrate coverage, and reef damage across established monitoring sites. MCP provides continuous ground-truthing data for the Allen Coral Atlas and has trained DENR Environment and Natural Resource Division dive teams through USAID partnership to monitor MPAs beyond MCP’s operational range. The organization runs a sea turtle nest protection program across southern Negros, a mangrove education project reaching nearly 2,000 children in Siaton and Zamboanguita primary schools, and a beach plastics collection partnership with Pro Ocean that recovered approximately 97 tonnes of plastic waste in 2024 alone. In 2025, MCP received the PADI Award for Outstanding Contribution to Marine Conservation and created a fully funded seven-month scholarship program for aspiring women conservation leaders.
Volunteers arrive every second Monday year-round and begin with an introduction week covering reef ecology, survey methodology, and conservation context. Non-divers complete PADI Open Water certification on site before progressing to scientific survey training in fish identification, substrate assessment, or invertebrate monitoring. MCP offers the full PADI course ladder through Divemaster, plus specialty courses in Coral Reef Conservation and Fish Identification, alongside technical diving courses. The minimum stay is six weeks even for experienced divers, allowing time for meaningful contribution to ongoing survey programs. Beyond diving, participants join mangrove planting events, beach cleanups, ghost net retrieval from mesophotic reefs, Crown-of-Thorns starfish management, and educational outreach in local schools. Youth engagement includes Summer Sea Camps and a partnership with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network that trained 100 youth leaders in conservation practices.
MCP is built for people willing to commit at least six weeks to structured, physically active conservation work — carrying gear in tropical heat, diving twice daily in current, and participating in community programs six days per week. Complete beginners are welcome; the dive training alone would cost substantially more at a commercial facility, and here it is integrated with real research. Experienced divers and Divemaster candidates find a working scientific diving operation where logged dives contribute directly to published data. Accommodation is shared dorms in traditional-style huts within the botanical garden compound, with meals provided. The program suits gap-year travelers, marine biology students, career-changers, and anyone seeking immersive conservation experience in the Coral Triangle. Contact the team at team@mcp.email or +63 969 484 7382.
KM 12.5 National Highway, Bula...
