Local dive operators seek help in fight vs colorum instructors

CEBU, Philippines —  While it is apparent that the dive tourism sector in Cebu has recovered, local operators are also facing a challenge with the rising number of colorum dive instructors.

Gary Cases, vice president of Malapascua Business Association, said the island, which is consistently voted as one of the top five best diving destinations in the world, is not only attracting professional scuba and pre diving hobbyists but also foreigners who are also illegally practicing as diving operators and instructors.  

In an interview with Cases, he revealed that local dive instructors need the help of the government to help police or apprehend the presence of unlicensed foreign diving instructors who are now affecting the jobs of the people in the local diving industry.

These foreign diving operators, Cases said are conducting businesses without permits not only in Malapascua, but also in other diving destinations in the Philippines.

Cases, who operates DiveLink Cebu, noted that these colorum dive instructors do not only steal jobs from the local dive tourism business, but also threatens the safety of tourists with their outright disregard of the laws.

“They can work here. We are not telling them not to work here, but they need to get permits,” he said.

Existence of colorum dive instructors have been there for a while, but Cases said it has worsened these days as foreign divers are coming back after the pandemic.

Cases hopes that the government like the Department of Tourism (DOT) and even the Local Government Units (LGUs) will help the local stakeholders in the diving industry to protect their livelihood.

“When we go to other countries and seek for work, we get work permits. They should do the same here,” he explained. 

One of the main reasons why some foreign diving expeditions or groups prefer to bring their own dive instructors is due to language barrier, Cases said.

Mactan Island based scuba diving instructor and dive shop operator Jaime J. Sarte said professional divers as well as hobbyists from all over the world are starting to come, saying recovery from the pandemic is happening although some infrastructure like boats, logistics among others are still not fully fixed after the super typhoon Odette.

Sarte, who owns and operates the Feel Deep dive shop affirmed that the industry is now at least 60 percent recovered compared to pre-pandemic.

In 2022, DOT secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said there was an estimated P37 billion in tourist receipts from international dive visitors coming into the Philippines, constituting over 17.5 percent of the total tourism receipts for the year.

Aside from Malapascua Island, popular diving sites in Cebu are Moalboal; Mactan Island, Olango Group of Islands, Nalusuan Island, Hilutungan Island, Capitancillo Island (Bogo), as well as diving destinations in towns of Alegria, Samboan and Santander.