UPDATE - Moalboal Water Usage Fee

Starting January 1, 2007, the Moalboal Provincial Government is proud to announce the Moalboal Marine Park Entrance Fee System for 2006. Tags (or tickets) are purchased for a one-time fee of 500 Pesos (about 10US$ or 8 Euro) and must be carried at all times while the guest is diving. It can easily be affixed to guests’ diving or snorkeling gear. The entrance fee system has been adapted from the well-known Bonaire and Bunaken Marine Park systems. The local government will utilize these funds to finance a number of high priority conservation programs in the park, including patrols and enforcement to abolish destructive fishing practices such as blast and cyanide fishing, village improvement programs within the park, collection and disposal of plastic and other wastes entering the park’s waters, marine conservation education of village children and adults, and reef and mangrove rehabilitation. Entrance tags and tickets can be purchased through marine tourism operators based in Moalboal, or can be purchased from one of several ticket counters. Enforcement of the entrance fee system is conducted via spot checks by park rangers on land and at sea. We greatly appreciate your support and cooperation with this entrance fee system. Conservation of Moalboal’s spectacular marine habitats requires funding, and your entrance fee is a valuable contribution to saving Moalboal’s reefs.

Moalboal Dive Center Association (MDCA)

A large majority of the Dive and Snorkel operators in Moalboal have formed Moalboal Dive Center Association (MDCA).

The association's purpose is to actively protect and conserve the underwater environment and support other organizations in this respect. In addition to this, we are committed to promoting the area as the scuba and snorkeling destination of choice.

The association works closely with other organizations, such as the Moalboal Local Government Unit, the Fishermen Associations, PADI, Project Aware and anybody else who helps to protect and improve Moalboals underwater world.

Our Mission

• Protect and conserve underwater environments through education, encouragement and action.

Cooperate with local government, fishermen association, PADI, Project Aware and other national and international organizations.
Protect and enhance the underwater environment by taking the initiative and action.
Promote and market the safe and sustainable growth of Moalboals scuba diving industry

Who We Are

• We are a non-profit organization made up of professional scuba diving operations and dive resorts in and around the municipality of Moalboal.

What We Do

• MDCA works in partnership with the local government, fishermen, scuba divers and water enthusiasts to combat challenges facing underwater environments.

First projects include:

• Marine Park Project: support the LGU, Barangays and fishermen establishing the Marine Park Project, assist in collection of fees, help in implementing rules and regulations, train and educate members in scuba diving.
• Marine Sanctuaries: Assist and support the LGU for the expansion of sanctuary zones to protect all threatened species in Moalboal coastal waters. Marine Protected Areas provide educational opportunities and sustain exploited species populations. Research into no-take marine reserves has shown a dramatic increase in size and abundance of commercially targeted species.
• Alternative Fishing Project: Support and alternative fishing projects by creating new fishing grounds by putting up “Payaw”.
• Buoy Project: Establishing and maintaining mooring buoys. Educate dive centers and boat operators on using the buoys.
• Protect the Shark Project: Initiate and support a ban on shark catching and shark finning in Moalboal coastal waters.
• Protect againts Illegal Endangered Species Products: Initiate and support a ban on protected shell sales in Moalboal.
• MDCA website: Develop a website representing all members of MDCA, promoting the area as the scuba and snorkeling destination of choice, introducing projects and activities as well as reporting on progress and developments.
• Sponsorship of events to promote scuba diving in Moalboal

We started a new community service program. Here is Jaime, our first apprentice. He will follow this program:

SCUBA APPRENTICESHIP

THE MISSION

Savedra Dive Center, Cebu’s first PADI 5 Star Dive Center, will educate and train a young local individual with an underprivileged background to become a SCUBA JOURNEYMAN. The program is modeled after the successful system used in Europe for centuries, called apprenticeship, thus our training program is called a SCUBA APPRENTICESHIP. It is adapted to modern teaching and training methods and provides hands-on experience in the scuba industry, with formal education in sanctioned PADI dive courses, as well as language-, computer- and sales training.

Throughout the training protection of the marine eco system is heavily emphasized, several training courses and work shops are exclusively focused on environmental awareness and marine protection.

At the end of the training and passing the exams the apprentice is given the PADI Divemaster certificate and a diploma with credentials reflecting his knowledge and experience as a SCUBA JOURNEYMAN in the scuba diving industry.

The SCUBA APPRENTICESHIP is a community service program provided by our dive center and only applicants with good school records but poor family background are eligible.

The SCUBA APPRENTICESHIP lasts 2 years and Savedra Dive Center will take on one apprentice every year.

We strive to dissipate our idea to other dive centers and hope that our system will be acknowledged, copied and improved by other members of the dive industry.

We believe that the SCUBA APPRENTICEHSHIP provides a small but effective tool to fight poverty, creates high quality future employees, increases industry standards and promotes environmental awareness.



THE BACKGROUND

Apprenticeship - History & Development

The system of apprenticeship first developed in the later Middle Ages and came to be supervised by craft guilds and town governments. A master craftsman was entitled to employ young people as an inexpensive form of labor in exchange for providing formal training in the craft. Apprentices were young (usually about fourteen to twenty-one years of age) and unmarried. Most apprentices aspired to becoming master craftsmen themselves on completion of their contract but some would spend time as a journeyman.

Traditionally, an apprentice will work under the guidance of a person who has earned the title of "master" in their field. This apprenticeship is a combination of working and learning. Apprenticeship lasts usually 2 to 4 years, ending upon exams and other requirements met by the certifying agency are met.

Nowadays many apprenticeships follow a dual system, means that apprentices spend most of their time in companies and the rest in formal education. Usually, they work for three to four days a week in the company and then spend one or two days at a vocational school.


Origination of the title "Journeyman"

A journeyman is a tradesman or craftsman who has completed an apprenticeship but is not yet able to set up his or her own workshop as a master. In parts of Europe, as in later medieval Germany, spending time as a journeyman, moving from one town to another to gain experience of different workshops, was an important part of the training of an aspirant master.

The word 'journeyman' comes from the French word journée, meaning the period of one day; this refers to his right to charge a fee for each day's work. He or she would normally be employed by a master craftsman, but would live apart and might have a family of his own.



THE TRAINING

The apprentice will move from department to department according to the time table and the subjects. Training, diving and class room work are supervised by one of our PADI Master Instructors. The apprentice has to keep a daily log of all activities, a dive log book is mandatory. All manuals, dive tables and certification fees for PADI dive courses are provided by the dive center.

Schedules

4 Modules at 6 month each:

Module 1: Open Water and Advanced Course, basic seamanship, boat handling skills, language training, scuba diving

Module 2: EFR and Rescue Diver Course and other medical training, technical training incl. equipment specialist course, equipment maintenance, compressor room, language training, scuba diving

Module 3: Business Administrations, customer relations and sales, language training, scuba diving, Eco and Environment, PADI Master Scuba Diver training

Module 4: Divemaster training (if apprentice is 18 years of age), Internships with other partners in the scuba diving industry (Aquaventure / Whitetip Divers in Cebu City)



Subjects

Languages
• English
• Basic knowledge in a 2nd foreign language (German)


Ecology and the Marine Environment
• Specialty Courses:
o PADI Project Aware Specialty
o PADI AWARE – Coral Reef Conservation Specialty Course
o PADI Underwater Naturalist
o PADI Turtle Specialist

• Environment and Ecology (Project Aware Program, ecosystems of the ocean and its inhabitants)
• Organizing and conducting beach and underwater clean-ups (workshop)


Scuba Diving
• Dive experience and boat handling – diving within recreational diving limits as much as possible
• Dive courses & Certifications
o PADI Open Water
o PADI Advanced Open Water
o PADI Rescue Course
o PADI Enriched Air Specialty
o PADI Deep Dive Specialty
o PADI Equipment Specialist
o PADI Project Aware Specialty
o PADI AWARE – Coral Reef Conservation Specialty
o PADI Underwater Naturalist
o PADI Turtle Specialist
o PADI Master Scuba Diver
o PADI Divemaster

Technical Training
• Diving Equipment Maintenance - theoretical knowledge of dive equipment design and function, hands-on practical experience, maintaining and servicing regulators, BCD's, gauges, tank valves, routine maintenance of compressor systems
• PADI equipment specialist course

Medical Training
• Emergency First Responder (EFR) Course
• Marine life injuries
• Visit to the local Decompression Chamber

Business Administrations
• Basic computer skills – Internet, E-mails. Word, Excel, Access
• Basic accounting procedures
• Telephone training - telephone skills and etiquette

Customer relations and sales
• Customer service ethics
• Reception desk – professional image, effective verbal and visual communication
• Sales training – role playing and scenarios
• Sales training – with real customers

Internships with other partners in the scuba diving industry
• 4 week internship at Aquaventure / Whitetip Divers in Cebu City