Reef Buddy Philippines is a marine conservation programme in Dauin, Negros Oriental — the macro diving capital of the Philippines, in the heart of the Coral Triangle. We're the Southeast Asian operation of Caribbean Reef Buddy, founded in Grenada in 2014 and named Most Dedicated Marine Conservation Organisation 2023 by Acquisition International.

Volunteers work alongside our research staff across four workstreams: reef monitoring using Reef Check methodology, coral nursery cultivation and reef restoration, apex predator monitoring using BRUVS (baited underwater cameras), and invasive species management. Reef Check is the global standard for citizen-science reef surveys, used in peer-reviewed research. No prior diving experience is required — PADI training from Open Water through Divemaster is built in.

Programmes run 2 to 12 weeks. Volunteers stay at Sierra Resort in Dauin with all meals included, diving with the on-site PADI 5-Star dive centre. Whether you're a marine science student, an early-career conservationist, or a diver after real science, we offer hands-on conservation work — from Dauin's world-famous macro diving to the Apo Island marine reserve.

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