Bongo Bongo Divers

Bongo Bongo Divers is using local community members and professional dive staff to survey local underwater ecosystems in Dauin, Philippines.  Through a scientific study of coastal habitats and biodiversity of local fish populations, the dive shop aims to prove the comparative high biodiversity of life of Dauin within the Philippines. Identifying these biodiversity hotspots would support a push for turning the local environments into Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

The Bongo Bongo Divers MPA Grant was made possible thanks to the generous support of Blancpain, official partner of the PADI Blueprint for Ocean Action and founding partner of the PADI MPA Program and Adopt the Blue™​.

Bongo Bongo Divers, situated in the heart of Dauin, Philippines, is conducting research on the local environment to support improved protection measures.

“This is our home, our passion, our business and our responsibility,”  said Magnus Nielsen, General Manager Bongo Bongo Divers.

Bongo Bongo Divers uses PADI AWARE Foundation funding to procure the necessary resources, and hire a local crew to carry out the surveys. They hope the grant will promote the local area as a potential MPA and spread awareness about marine conservation.

“On the behalf of all people who have participated in this project,” says Nielsen, “I can say we would all feel very proud of achieving such a consequent survey. However, we're also very aware that there is a lot more to do and we're all eager to plan new programs to keep educating our community and reinforce marine conservation efforts in Dauin and in the Philippines.”

Want to see more of Bongo Bongo Divers in action?

You can follow along with Bongo Bongo Divers and the MPA Project on their website, Instagram, Facebook, or on https://www.padi.com/aware.