Four divers from the local government of Agdangan, Quezon have received their Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus (SCUBA) diving training through the Philippine Rural Development Project – Global Environment Facility (PRDP-GEF) last January 18 to 22.

The SCUBA diving training aims to support the local government’s initiative to protect, conserve, and sustainably manage their marine resources. PRDP-GEF has been supporting the rehabilitation of the Bahurang Silag Marine Protected Area (MPA) as well as the development of Lawis Reef MPA and Mangrove Forests MPA.

“One requires to have knowledge and skills on how to conduct underwater resource assessment and data processing and analysis to generate and come up with scientifically sound decisions,” Marvin Valle, Municipal Environment and Natural Resource Officer of Agdangan, said.

Conrado Paz, accredited by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), led the two-day lecture with one-day practical training in the pool and two-day guided dive in the Tayabas Bay. Aside from Valle, other trainees include Almira Mendoza, Municipal Agriculture Office personnel; Felipe Villamin, Fisheries Law Enforcement Team member; and PSSG Jhon Melmar Natura of Agdangan Municipal Police Station – Quezon Provincial Police Office.

Aside from the lectures and practical training, they also underwent a graded examination. This will be one of the bases for PADI to issue individual licenses afterwards. 

This training is just one of the different interventions provided by the PRDP-GEF to Agdangan LGU. Other assistance includes updating of their municipal fishery code, construction of monitoring facilities and patrol boats, biophysical assessment, increase of marine organisms like giant clams, and provision of livelihood opportunities for coastal communities. # (Elvie Jane Lagan, DA-PRDP GEF NRM Unit and Lawrence Albert Bariring, DA-PRDP CALABARZON RPCO InfoACE Unit)

Mr. Conrado Paz, PADI-accredited instructor, lectures about the apparatus used in the SCUBA diving (Ferdinand Cruz, DA-PRDP GEF-NRM Unit)

The trainees prepare for the practical diving training on an enclosed water environment (Ferdinand Cruz, DA-PRDP GEF-NRM Unit)

Divers signal the okay sign in pool training with diving instructors. (Ferdinand Cruz, DA-PRDP GEF-NRM Unit)

Guided dive in the shallow part of municipal waters of Agdangan (Ferdinand Cruz, DA-PRDP GEF-NRM Unit)