Philippine Commission on Sports SCUBA Diving

Dive Establishments:

What are the benefits of being accredited?

• Air Quality Testing to check for oil mist, water vapor,

carbon,bmonoxide, and carbon dioxide contamination

(Purification Standard EN 12 021).

• In case of diving-related accidents, PCSSD accredited dive establishments can declare two of their employees as beneficiaries who will be entitled to a 50% discount, a

special rate for treatment at all PCSSD owned and operated Hyperbaric Chambers all around the Philippines.

• Only PCSSD and DOT accredited dive establishments are permitted to participate in efforts facilitated/endorsed by

the DOT and/or the PCSSD in diving related events, both international and local (PCSSD Board Resolution No.

2013-002).

• Inclusion in both PCSSD & DOT endorsed

SCUBA diving lists and promotional materials

Inclusion in the Accredited Dive Establishments Page published on the PCSSD website and other social media

• First to receive important updates, newsletters, and other pertinent announcements circulated

by the PCSSD.

We continuously strive to offer relevant and

helpful benefits to our stakeholders.

The following are the current benefits of all accredited dive establishments and dive

individuals:

Dive Individuals:

Our Legal Bases and the Law

• In case of diving-related accidents, PCSSD accredited SCUBA divers are entitled to a 50% discount, a special rate for treatment at all PCSSD owned and operated Hyperbaric Chambers all around the Philippines. The PCSSD currently operates (2) and have already in the pipeline (4) more which will be strategically placed in areas where there is dense SCUBA activity.
• Inclusion in both PCSSD and DOT endorsed

diving instructors lists.

PCSSD was created through Letter of Instruction 745 in 1978 by then President Marcos, and further strengthened by Republic Act 9593: Tourism Policy Law of 2009, so that the country may utilize the potential of its rich marine resources for nation building & economic progress. The PCSSD has then been mandated as the agency to promulgate programs to promote the Philippines as a premier diving

destination in asia.

• Inclusion in the Dive Professionals Page published on the PCSSD website and other social media.
• Prioritized in their intent to participate in diving events, both international, and local, facilitated or endorsed by the Commission and DOT such as in training programs like the Hyperbaric Medicine Training Courses.
• First to receive important updates, newsletters, and other pertinent announcements circulated by the PCSSD.

The PCSSD is tasked to:

• Providing the standard basic dive rules to all levels or kinds of divers, regulate scuba sports and technical

diving in the country;

• Ensure the safety of the sport through the formulation

of policies, including accreditation of dive establishments and individuals, pursuant thereto, in coordination with the Office of Tourism Standards and Regulation.

• Formulating rules, regulations, safety standards and operating procedures to implement the development

of Sports SCUBA Diving.

• Undertaking studies, researches and surveys for

possible incentives to the private sector members who may wish to undertake projects and programs beneficial to the development of SCUBA Diving Tourism within the framework of related Presidential Decrees.

• Expressly directed to formulate and implement programs on marine conservation, particularly those areas of high touristic value.

Where are the PCSSD accreditation fees going?

PCSSD stands for Philippine

Commission on the Promotion and

Development of Sports SCUBA Diving.

PCSSD is the national agency under

the Department of Tourism, mandated

to formulate rules & regulations, safety

standards, and operating procedures

for the development of recreational and

technical SCUBA diving in the

Philippines, in coordination with the

Department of Tourism Office of

Tourism Standards & Regulations.

Philippine Commission

on Sports

SCUBA Diving

Dive establishments are required to pay a

corresponding fee of PhP5,000.00 annually.

This directly goes to the consumables

(chemical testers) in the form ofampoules (water,

monoxide, carbon dioxide, oil) which is needed to

conduct Air Quality Inspection using the Aerotest

Kit or Airlab. Both the testing equipment and its

consumables are not readily available

locally which is why the premium on these

imported items are high.

PCSSD Accreditation

With reference to the Republic Act 9593: Tourism Policy Law of 2009, which requires accreditation to all primary tourism establishments including sports and recreation facilities such as SCUBA diving establishments. SCUBA diving having a highly technical nature preliminarily falls under PCSSD jurisdiction and would require PCSSD accreditation to ensure safety in SCUBA diving and to verify if the entity or individual is in a legal capacity to operate.

Scope of PCSSD Accreditation vis-a-vis DOT Accreditation

To further the effort to make

the Philippines an international

top-of mind dive destination, all dive establishments seeking accreditation from the Department of Tourism will be required PCSSD accreditation as a

pre-requisite.

The Department of Tourism is tasked to accredit

hotels, resorts, and restaurant amenities (board

and lodging) among others. For establishments

which mainly stand as SCUBA diving enterprises,

PCSSD accreditation is necessary as SCUBA diving

is technical in nature. The PCSSD, being the

regulatory government agency which is equipped

with the technical know-how, is mandated to

accredit dive establishments and dive individuals

and is also tasked to inspect equipment

and facilities which are SCUBA specific.

Purpose of PCSSD Accreditation

SCUBA diving has been determined as a

key tourism product in the National Tourism

Development Plan of the Philippines but ways

and efforts to sustain or improve it is

evidently lagging behind. This gives us the

danger of its imminent decline, stagnant

improvement, and wasted potential should

we not step up our game in its regulation

and give due importance to it.

PCSSD accreditation will help us

monitor the SCUBA diving industry

and give us the statistics, facts, and

the like to harness this asset. We

endeavor to use this advantage as

a driver for economic growth, and as

an avenue for employment of locals

and nation building.