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Transparency

Finances and Expenditures

Where our funding comes from, and the conservation work it makes possible.

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Smiling MCP team member making a hand sign, with the coastline behind him

How we use our funds

As a field-based organisation on a remote stretch of coast, our spending reflects the real costs of hands-on conservation: dive operations and scientific monitoring, training, community engagement, and the base and equipment that make it all possible.

Below, we show every peso we received from January 2025 to early October 2026 in two ways. The first chart follows the money as our accounts record it, by what was bought. The second follows the same money to the work it made possible. Either way, most of our resources go into conservation work and long-term capacity, with only a small share spent on running the organisation.

Where our funding comes from, and where it goes

As recorded in our accounts. Hover over or tap any part of a chart to follow its flow.

WHERE IT COMES FROMWHAT IT WAS SPENT ONIN DETAILVolunteer donations: 83.5% of income. Includes PADI training for volunteersPlastic credits: 10.8% of income. Credits for ocean plastic removalCSR and private donations: 1.2% of incomeOther income: 0.8% of income. Accommodation rental, merchandise, bank interest, gear sales and moreExchange rate gains (net): 3.8% of income. Net result of currency movements: a loss in 2025 and a gain in 2026Staff: 30.2% of spendingFood, diving & field costs: 12.4% of spendingPADI training materials: 7.8% of spendingCommunity programme costs: 3.4% of spendingBase & vehicle running: 5.3% of spendingOffice, legal & finance: 5.5% of spendingLand, buildings & equipment: 35.4% of spendingKept in reserve: 4.3% of incomeSalaries & wages: 28.8% of spendingBenefits & staff training: 1.4% of spendingFood: 10.5% of spendingDiving & logistics: 1.9% of spendingVehicle running costs: 2.6% of spendingUtilities: 1.5% of spendingHousekeeping & security: 1.2% of spendingLegal, finance & insurance: 2.9% of spendingOffice, travel & admin: 1.7% of spendingMarketing & website: 1.0% of spendingAcquisition of land for operational expansion: 18.5% of spendingBase construction: 8.6% of spendingVehicles: 4.0% of spendingDive gear: 3.1% of spendingFurniture, IT & grounds: 1.3% of spendingSalaries & wages: 28.8% of spendingSalaries & wages 28.8%Benefits & staff training: 1.4% of spendingBenefits & staff training 1.4%Food: 10.5% of spendingFood 10.5%Diving & logistics: 1.9% of spendingDiving & logistics 1.9%Vehicle running costs: 2.6% of spendingVehicle running costs 2.6%Utilities: 1.5% of spendingUtilities 1.5%Housekeeping & security: 1.2% of spendingHousekeeping & security 1.2%Legal, finance & insurance: 2.9% of spendingLegal, finance & insurance 2.9%Office, travel & admin: 1.7% of spendingOffice, travel & admin 1.7%Marketing & website: 1.0% of spendingMarketing & website 1.0%Acquisition of land for operational expansion: 18.5% of spendingAcquisition of land foroperational expansion 18.5%Base construction: 8.6% of spendingBase construction 8.6%Vehicles: 4.0% of spendingVehicles 4.0%Dive gear: 3.1% of spendingDive gear 3.1%Furniture, IT & grounds: 1.3% of spendingFurniture, IT & grounds 1.3%Volunteer donations: 83.5% of income. Includes PADI training for volunteersVolunteer donations 83.5%Plastic credits: 10.8% of income. Credits for ocean plastic removalPlastic credits 10.8%CSR and private donations: 1.2% of incomeCSR and private donations 1.2%Other income: 0.8% of income. Accommodation rental, merchandise, bank interest, gear sales and moreOther income 0.8%Exchange rate gains (net): 3.8% of income. Net result of currency movements: a loss in 2025 and a gain in 2026Exchange rate gains (net) 3.8%Total income: 100%Total income100%Staff: 30.2% of spending. Salaries, contributions, training and staff welfareStaff30.2%Food, diving & field costs: 12.4% of spending. Food, dive operations, transfers, accommodation and monitoring kitFood, diving & field costs12.4%PADI training materials: 7.8% of spending. PADI materials and annual feesPADI training materials7.8%Community programme costs: 3.4% of spending. Direct costs of community programmesCommunity programme costs3.4%Base & vehicle running: 5.3% of spending. Electricity, internet, housekeeping, security, fuel and vehicle repairsBase & vehicle running5.3%Office, legal & finance: 5.5% of spending. Legal, accounting, bank fees, taxes, insurance, loan interest, office, travel, advertising and websiteOffice, legal & finance5.5%Land, buildings & equipment: 35.4% of spending. Land, construction, vehicles, dive gear, furniture and ITLand, buildings & equipment35.4%Kept in reserve: 4.3% of income. Income not spent during the period, held in reserveKept in reserve4.3% WHERE IT COMES FROMWHAT IT WAS SPENT ONVolunteer donations: 83.5% of income. Includes PADI training for volunteersPlastic credits: 10.8% of income. Credits for ocean plastic removalCSR and private donations: 1.2% of incomeOther income: 0.8% of income. Accommodation rental, merchandise, bank interest, gear sales and moreExchange rate gains (net): 3.8% of income. Net result of currency movements: a loss in 2025 and a gain in 2026Staff: 30.2% of spendingFood, diving & field costs: 12.4% of spendingPADI training materials: 7.8% of spendingCommunity programme costs: 3.4% of spendingBase & vehicle running: 5.3% of spendingOffice, legal & finance: 5.5% of spendingLand, buildings & equipment: 35.4% of spendingKept in reserve: 4.3% of incomeVolunteer donations: 83.5% of income. Includes PADI training for volunteersVolunteerdonations83.5%Plastic credits: 10.8% of income. Credits for ocean plastic removalPlastic credits10.8%CSR and private donations: 1.2% of incomeCSR and privatedonations1.2%Other income: 0.8% of income. Accommodation rental, merchandise, bank interest, gear sales and moreOther income0.8%Exchange rate gains (net): 3.8% of income. Net result of currency movements: a loss in 2025 and a gain in 2026Exchange rategains (net)3.8%Total income: 100%Total income100%Staff: 30.2% of spending. Salaries, contributions, training and staff welfareStaff30.2%Food, diving & field costs: 12.4% of spending. Food, dive operations, transfers, accommodation and monitoring kitFood, diving &field costs12.4%PADI training materials: 7.8% of spending. PADI materials and annual feesPADI trainingmaterials7.8%Community programme costs: 3.4% of spending. Direct costs of community programmesCommunityprogramme costs3.4%Base & vehicle running: 5.3% of spending. Electricity, internet, housekeeping, security, fuel and vehicle repairsBase & vehiclerunning5.3%Office, legal & finance: 5.5% of spending. Legal, accounting, bank fees, taxes, insurance, loan interest, office, travel, advertising and websiteOffice, legal& finance5.5%Land, buildings & equipment: 35.4% of spending. Land, construction, vehicles, dive gear, furniture and ITLand, buildings& equipment35.4%Kept in reserve: 4.3% of income. Income not spent during the period, held in reserveKept inreserve4.3%

Figures for 1 January 2025 to 7 October 2026. Income is shown as shares of total income, and spending as shares of total spending. Volunteer donations include PADI training for volunteers; courses for local communities and government partners are given free of charge. Exchange rate results are net: a loss in 2025 and a gain in 2026.

Why a second chart?

The chart above shows our spending the way our books record it: by what was bought, such as salaries, food and diesel. Charities normally report by what the money was for, spreading staff and shared costs across the activities they serve. This is recognised accounting practice, used by UK charities under the Charities SORP and by US nonprofits in their annual Form 990. It isn't a way of dressing up the numbers.

It matters for us because our largest cost is our team, and our team is the work. They run around 2,000 reef surveys a year, have trained more than 120 government divers, and support marine protected areas across 12 municipalities. The chart below follows the same money from what it paid for to what it made possible.

WHAT WE PAY FORWHAT IT MAKES POSSIBLEStaff to Reef research & monitoring: 5.6% of spendingFood, diving & field costs to Reef research & monitoring: 6.8% of spendingBase & vehicle running to Reef research & monitoring: 1.0% of spendingStaff to Marine protection & partnerships: 4.5% of spendingFood, diving & field costs to Marine protection & partnerships: 0.6% of spendingBase & vehicle running to Marine protection & partnerships: 0.8% of spendingStaff to Community & education: 7.9% of spendingFood, diving & field costs to Community & education: 1.2% of spendingCommunity programme costs to Community & education: 3.4% of spendingBase & vehicle running to Community & education: 1.4% of spendingStaff to Training conservationists: 4.3% of spendingFood, diving & field costs to Training conservationists: 3.7% of spendingPADI training materials to Training conservationists: 7.8% of spendingBase & vehicle running to Training conservationists: 0.8% of spendingStaff to Running the organisation: 6.1% of spendingBase & vehicle running to Running the organisation: 1.1% of spendingOffice, legal & finance to Running the organisation: 4.5% of spendingStaff to Fundraising & recruitment: 1.8% of spendingBase & vehicle running to Fundraising & recruitment: 0.3% of spendingOffice, legal & finance to Fundraising & recruitment: 1.0% of spendingLand, buildings & equipment to Investing in our base: 35.4% of spendingStaff: 30.2% of spending. Salaries, contributions, training and staff welfareStaff 30.2%Food, diving & field costs: 12.4% of spending. Food, dive operations, transfers, accommodation and monitoring kitFood, diving & field costs 12.4%PADI training materials: 7.8% of spending. PADI materials and annual feesPADI training materials 7.8%Community programme costs: 3.4% of spending. Direct costs of community programmesCommunity programme costs 3.4%Base & vehicle running: 5.3% of spending. Electricity, internet, housekeeping, security, fuel and vehicle repairsBase & vehicle running 5.3%Office, legal & finance: 5.5% of spending. Legal, accounting, bank fees, taxes, insurance, loan interest, office, travel, advertising and websiteOffice, legal & finance 5.5%Land, buildings & equipment: 35.4% of spending. Land, construction, vehicles, dive gear, furniture and ITLand, buildings & equipment 35.4%Reef research & monitoring: 13.4% of spending. Survey dives, data, analysis and open-access dataReef research & monitoring 13.4%Marine protection & partnerships: 5.9% of spending. Marine protected areas, coastal resource management, mangroves and support for local governmentsMarine protection & partnerships 5.9%Community & education: 13.9% of spending. Youth education, outreach, livelihoods, clean-ups and free coursesCommunity & education 13.9%Training conservationists: 16.5% of spending. Training volunteers, interns and Filipino scholarsTraining conservationists 16.5%Running the organisation: 11.7% of spending. Management, finance, legal and administrationRunning the organisation 11.7%Fundraising & recruitment: 3.2% of spending. Bookings, marketing, the website and partner relationsFundraising & recruitment 3.2%Investing in our base: 35.4% of spending. Land, buildings, vehicles and dive gearInvesting in our base 35.4% WHAT WE PAY FORWHAT IT MAKES POSSIBLEStaff to Reef research & monitoring: 5.6% of spendingFood, diving & field costs to Reef research & monitoring: 6.8% of spendingBase & vehicle running to Reef research & monitoring: 1.0% of spendingStaff to Marine protection & partnerships: 4.5% of spendingFood, diving & field costs to Marine protection & partnerships: 0.6% of spendingBase & vehicle running to Marine protection & partnerships: 0.8% of spendingStaff to Community & education: 7.9% of spendingFood, diving & field costs to Community & education: 1.2% of spendingCommunity programme costs to Community & education: 3.4% of spendingBase & vehicle running to Community & education: 1.4% of spendingStaff to Training conservationists: 4.3% of spendingFood, diving & field costs to Training conservationists: 3.7% of spendingPADI training materials to Training conservationists: 7.8% of spendingBase & vehicle running to Training conservationists: 0.8% of spendingStaff to Running the organisation: 6.1% of spendingBase & vehicle running to Running the organisation: 1.1% of spendingOffice, legal & finance to Running the organisation: 4.5% of spendingStaff to Fundraising & recruitment: 1.8% of spendingBase & vehicle running to Fundraising & recruitment: 0.3% of spendingOffice, legal & finance to Fundraising & recruitment: 1.0% of spendingLand, buildings & equipment to Investing in our base: 35.4% of spendingStaff: 30.2% of spending. Salaries, contributions, training and staff welfareStaff30.2%Food, diving & field costs: 12.4% of spending. Food, dive operations, transfers, accommodation and monitoring kitFood, diving &field costs12.4%PADI training materials: 7.8% of spending. PADI materials and annual feesPADI trainingmaterials7.8%Community programme costs: 3.4% of spending. Direct costs of community programmesCommunityprogramme costs3.4%Base & vehicle running: 5.3% of spending. Electricity, internet, housekeeping, security, fuel and vehicle repairsBase & vehiclerunning5.3%Office, legal & finance: 5.5% of spending. Legal, accounting, bank fees, taxes, insurance, loan interest, office, travel, advertising and websiteOffice, legal& finance5.5%Land, buildings & equipment: 35.4% of spending. Land, construction, vehicles, dive gear, furniture and ITLand, buildings& equipment35.4%Reef research & monitoring: 13.4% of spending. Survey dives, data, analysis and open-access dataReef research &monitoring13.4%Marine protection & partnerships: 5.9% of spending. Marine protected areas, coastal resource management, mangroves and support for local governmentsMarine protection& partnerships5.9%Community & education: 13.9% of spending. Youth education, outreach, livelihoods, clean-ups and free coursesCommunity &education13.9%Training conservationists: 16.5% of spending. Training volunteers, interns and Filipino scholarsTrainingconservationists16.5%Running the organisation: 11.7% of spending. Management, finance, legal and administrationRunning theorganisation11.7%Fundraising & recruitment: 3.2% of spending. Bookings, marketing, the website and partner relationsFundraising &recruitment3.2%Investing in our base: 35.4% of spending. Land, buildings, vehicles and dive gearInvesting inour base35.4%

Percentages are shares of total spending. Staff and shared running costs are allocated to our activities based on how our team spends its time, and food and diving costs based on how our volunteers spend theirs. Single-purpose costs, such as PADI training materials or legal fees, go straight to the activity they serve. Investing in our base covers land, buildings, vehicles and dive gear bought during the period.

A closer look at what we spend on

The categories from the first chart, and what sits behind each of them.

Staff

30.2%

Our team is at the heart of everything we do. This covers the salaries and professional development of the marine scientists, dive instructors, community coordinators and operational staff who design and deliver our programmes.

Unlike a traditional administrative structure, most of our people work directly in conservation: running underwater surveys, training participants, working with local communities and supporting government partners. That is why the second chart spreads staff costs across the work they actually do.

Investing in people ensures continuity, quality and long-term impact, and builds local capacity for marine conservation.

  • Salaries and wages
  • Government contributions (SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG)
  • Staff training and professional development
  • Staff welfare

Food, diving & field costs

12.4%

This is the day-to-day cost of getting teams into the water safely and consistently. On a remote stretch of coast, logistics and equipment play a central role: compressors and dive gear need constant servicing, and every survey dive needs gases, safety equipment and site access.

It also includes food for the volunteers, interns and staff doing the fieldwork. Here, food isn't an overhead but a fundamental part of sustaining conservation work.

  • Food for the field team and volunteers
  • Compressor and dive gear servicing
  • Diving gases
  • First aid supplies
  • Sanctuary and site access fees
  • Transfers and external accommodation
  • Monitoring equipment

PADI training materials

7.8%

Volunteers who have never dived before spend their first weeks learning to dive safely through PADI training, and many go on to further courses during their stay. This covers the course materials, certifications and our annual PADI fees.

Courses for local communities and government partners are given free of charge.

  • Course materials and certifications
  • Annual PADI fees

Community programme costs

3.4%

Community engagement is a vital part of effective marine conservation. These are the direct costs of our education programmes, outreach events and support for coastal communities, which help make sure conservation is locally supported and socially sustainable.

This figure only shows money spent directly. Most of our community work is delivered by our own staff, whose time appears under Community & education in the second chart.

  • Community outreach programmes
  • Educational activities and workshops
  • Donations and local support initiatives
  • Beach clean-ups and environmental campaigns
  • Youth camps and community events
  • Local partnership activities

Essential support costs

5.3% + 5.5%

These are the basic costs of running a safe and effective conservation organisation, shown in the first chart as base & vehicle running and office, legal & finance. While often grouped as overhead, we keep them deliberately lean and tightly managed.

Operating in a remote location requires reliable power, communications, transport and basic services for both staff and participants. These are essential to safety, coordination and continuity, and we prioritise efficiency here so that as much funding as possible goes to conservation.

  • Utilities (electricity, generator fuel, internet, communications)
  • Security and housekeeping
  • Vehicle fuel, repairs and maintenance
  • Insurance
  • Legal and accounting fees
  • Bank charges, taxes and loan interest
  • Office, travel, marketing and website

Land, buildings & equipment

35.4%

This reflects our commitment to building long-term conservation capacity in the Philippines. Investment in land, buildings and equipment lets us operate more effectively, safely and sustainably over time.

Spending in this area varies a lot from year to year. 2025 and 2026 saw unusually high investment: base development and renovation, the acquisition of land for operational expansion, the purchase of vehicles and dive gear, and new IT systems and furniture. These aren't short-term costs but strategic investments that will support many years of conservation work.

By reinvesting in our facilities and tools, we reduce future costs, improve efficiency, and make sure our programmes can keep growing in scale and impact.

  • Acquisition of land for operational expansion
  • Construction and base development
  • Vehicles
  • SCUBA gear and equipment
  • IT and computer equipment
  • Furniture, grounds and facility improvements

Registered and independently audited

Marine Conservation Philippines is registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission as a non-profit, non-stock corporation (reg. no. CN201506332). All funds from volunteer donations, CSR partnerships, grants and private donations go towards the continued operation and growth of our work, and our accounts are audited by an external certified public accountant. You can also browse our annual achievements, year by year since 2015.

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