If you have never dived before, the Philippines is a great place to learn. There is so much variety of marine life under the sea, as well as the second largest coral reef in the world. There are  a huge number of diving schools from which to choose. It is important to remember, however, that there are risks involved, and therefore it is important to learn from the best. The cheapest is not necessarily the best option when it comes to safety.

The first thing that you must check is that the school is properly accredited. Most of the schools will be accredited with PADI, which will mean that the instructors are properly trained in giving instruction, and not merely good divers

Secondly, are you being trained to breathe underwater or are you being trained to dive?  You can learn to breathe underwater with scuba equipment in a swimming pool in about half an hour, but that is a world away from diving in open water. There are at least 12 skills to be mastered.

Thirdly, does the school show any signs of caring for their environment? This is not just a question of a company showing its “green credentials”. A responsible attitude towards their “working environment”  shows that the school will also take a responsible attitude towards your safety underwater.

Fourthly how long do you have available for your diving experience? Bear in mind that you should not dive between 12 to 18 hours before or after a flight, internal or external. Most of the best dive schools will be reached by way of an internal flight from Manila, which realistically means that you should allow for two days not diving either side of your arrival at and departure from your dive school. There are international flights to Cebu, which might make Cebu a good choice if you are only coming to the Philippines to learn how to dive.

Reputable Schools to consider are

Dive Funatics :   https://www.divefunatics.com

We are going to start in Mindoro, which is an excellent place to learn where to dive. PADI accredited Diving Schools line the shores of   Puerto Galera and the shallow beach and shallow reef make this an excellent place to start.

Mindoro boasts the second largest coral reef in the world, with over 75% of the world’s coral species.

From Mindoro you may care to take a boat to the Verde Islands

Alternatively, you could look at Apo Reef