Hi! I am a first year med student from the Phippines. We have are currently doing a project about deep-sea diving but given the pandemic, it is hard for us to procreate videos. We would like to ask for footage or unused videos related to scuba diving if its alright with you. I can assure you that it will only be used for educational purposes and you will be credited in the end. I hope this won't be offensive. Thank you.
Beautiful images... But far from reality... I was twice in Apo Island... Both cases, unfriendly people at the beach, with a starnge way to decide prices and who can go on the boats... Very unpleasant for a foreigner that dont understand the local language. Arriving the Island, it seems the locals are only interested to catch their fees... Not at all to please the visitors... Underwater where we were linked was poor with a few turtles swimming around... Conclusion : Not a good experience. The only place in the Philippines where I saw unfriendly people which were only thinking to get some money from you.... You were lucky going with a resort's boat... Try to do it the normal way.... Probably you won't be able to make such a nice video !....
Sad to hear, that you had a bad experience. However, reading through your comment, it is pretty clear, that there is an obvious attitude issue from your side. Our recordings were done as “normal” trips. We are not a government organization or sponsored by any other place! So a completely NORMAL trip, once booked via a dive resort, another time travelling on our own from Malatapay. All fully paid by us. The video is from the 2 trips. Guess the locals, corals, turtles and fish show clearly that they prefer friendly people, not a foreigner showing up with a bad attitude. We find it extremely ridiculous that you blame Filipino to speak their own language on an island where 2/3 have no basic education. A “normal” trip to Apo island is organized by a hotel/agency, especially if one does not speak the language, therefore is bot capable to communicate in a country, where he is a guest. Another option would be to go to Malatapay and get a private boat. 3.000 Peso to go to Apo and back. Of course, if one wants to be cheap Charlie and wants to squeeze on a banca for locals, who go a few times a month to Negros Island for shopping or paperwork, than he has to fall in line at the very end for all the right reasons! Each visitor (even Filipino visitors) have to register and pay first, after they set foot on the Island. The collector place is right at the landing area and it takes no 5 minutes to pay the few peso. Once again, an agency or even the captain of a private 3,000 peso boat would do that for someone who does not speak the language in a foreign country. Claiming that you “only” saw a “few” turtles makes you really appear slightly out of your mind. This is the open ocean, not a zoo. The latter is the place you may have caged animals and no complains. Sorry, Apo Island is not a zoo and “only a few” is damn good. Just to remind you, our video was made on a complete “normal” trip. We had fun, like thousands of visitors over a year… and we were obviously able to make such a nice video in a “normal” way, which includes being friendly and having a good spirit. If you have any real problems with Apo Island, feel free to address them to the appropriate official channels: www.apoislandnegor.com
