What to Expect at MCP
Life on base
A Bit Like Camping Out
Our volunteers come from very different backgrounds, but they all share one thing: a wish to help protect nature.
Beyond that, we expect everyone to understand that volunteering with us is not a resort stay or a five-star holiday. It's for people who like getting their hands dirty. No one is here to make your bed or clean your room, the days in the water are long, and everyone takes a turn in the kitchen and around base. We all bunk in together, mostly in mixed dorms that usually sleep four, five or six (we do also have some private accommodation), and with shared meals, shared spaces and shared work, it really is a bit like camping out. Campfires and storytelling included.
When you arrive
Your First Week
New volunteers start every other Monday, and your first week runs a little differently from the rest of your stay. Before you settle into the regular rhythm of diving and surveys, everyone takes part in a series of briefings and introductions, including:
- Sorting and signing paperwork, and checking dive certifications
- Health and safety
- Local culture and customs
- How day-to-day life on base works
- How things work in the kitchen
- Sizing up the personal dive kit you'll use throughout your stay
By the end of the week, you'll know how everything works and be ready for the routine described on our typical day page. Travel tips and arrival times are in our FAQ.
Living together
What We Expect From You
Be a Good Guest
Filipinos are generally very friendly and welcoming, and they have their own culture and customs. We ask our international volunteers to remember that they're guests in the Philippines and to behave accordingly, just as you'd expect a guest to behave in your own home. With a little enthusiasm, a willingness to learn and consideration for people and culture, you'll have no issues whatsoever.
In the local community and on base, please wear clothes that cover your shoulders. A T-shirt is perfectly fine. Now and then we run activities with local children or host our summer camp. When we do, our work is governed by our Child Protection Policy. We don't expect you to read the full policy, because we plan every activity to follow it: volunteers always work alongside MCP staff and are never left alone with children.
Pitch In
Everyone helps keep base running. Once a week you'll be on kitchen duty, which means setting out breakfast ten minutes before it starts and clearing up afterwards, then setting out dinner and doing the dishes after it. Once a week you'll also join a group of others on dive shed duty, cleaning and filling the wash tanks and sweeping out the shed. Base duties take hardly any time, because there are always plenty of people helping each other. Sunday is always a day off, and if you'd like an extra day or two, that's fine. Just give us a heads-up early on so we can plan around it.
Learn the Work
Our survey data is open-access and feeds directly into how local governments manage their Marine Protected Areas, so it has to be accurate. We do our best to make it fun, with games and activities along the way, but please still expect to put real effort into learning the species and survey methods. If you'd like a head start, try our online ID quizzes before you arrive.
Evenings and Celebrations
Drinks, including alcoholic ones, can be bought on base. We're fine with people unwinding over a drink or two in the evening, and there will be divemaster graduation parties, local fiestas and birthdays now and then. All we ask is a sensible degree of moderation, especially when you're diving the next day. Loud drunken behaviour that disturbs others on base isn't acceptable, and we have a zero-tolerance policy on drugs.
Getting Around
Traffic here works very differently from what most people are used to, so while you volunteer with us, we ask you not to drive a motorbike yourself. Buses, tricycles and taxi vans will get you wherever you'd like to go on your days off. You can read more on our safety page or in our FAQ.
Marine Conservation Philippines reserves the right to end the stay of any volunteer whose behaviour is offensive or threatening to other volunteers, staff or the local community.
Our side of the deal
What You Can Expect From Us
Expectations go both ways. In return for your time and effort, this is what we commit to.
- All PADI training in small groups with highly experienced instructors.
- Diving conducted with safety in mind: survey data always comes second to everyone's safety.
- Passionate, experienced staff who genuinely care about our work and about you. Most of us were MCP volunteers ourselves, so we know exactly what it's like.
- Three meals a day from our kitchen team, with fruit and snacks in between.
- A decent bed with clean linen, a pillow and a mosquito net, plus a locker for your things and places to charge your gadgets.
- Wifi on base and a weekly laundry service.
- Sundays off, and other days off when you need them.
- A friendly, warm atmosphere on base. Our instant coffee and sense of humour may be terrible, but we'll do our best to make you feel welcome!
Before you arrive
Paperwork and Preparation
Travel Insurance
Every volunteer and intern needs travel insurance that covers their whole stay, including scuba diving to at least 30 metres (we strongly recommend 40 metres for divemaster trainees). Many standard policies exclude diving, so check the small print. If yours does, you'll need separate dive insurance as well. Read our recommendations.
Forms
There's a little paperwork to fill in before you start diving with us, including a medical statement. You'll find everything you need on our downloads page.
Volunteer Handbook
Our info package for new volunteers covers what to pack, accommodation, daily schedules and lots more. Download the handbook (PDF).