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Libertys diving on APO

Liberty’s  Lodge APO

Liberty’s Lodge Valencia

About  us

Dive courses

Lodge rooms 1-6

Discover area around

Contact us

Dive sites 1-2

Lodge rooms 7-20

Discover Dumaguete

Get here and away

Dive sites 3-6

Dive pictures

Maps around APO

APO village life

Dive sites 7-10

APO Pictures

Helpful Informations

APO history and help

Liberty´s dive Truno

APO press & oppinons

Offers + last minute

Home

Libertys diving on APO

Liberty’s  Lodge APO

Liberty’s Lodge Valencia

About  us

Dive courses

Lodge rooms 1-6

Discover area around

Contact us

Dive sites 1-2

Lodge rooms 7-20

Discover Dumaguete

Get here and away

Dive sites 3-6

Dive pictures

Maps around APO

APO village life

Dive sites 7-10

APO Pictures

Helpful Informations

APO history and help

Liberty´s dive Truno

APO press & oppinons

Offers + last minute

APO history  and …..  how you can help

      www.apoisland.com

 

     Liberty´s Lodge and Dive

 

         Former name : Pauls diving and Libertys Lodge

 

Apo Island   is one of the best

                           community-organized marine sanctuaries.

 

                           In the earlier years, dynamite fishing was quite common.

 

                                 It was still practice in the Philippines up to Feb. 2012,

                           when the congress finally made a law, to stop it.

 

                                 In 1980 APO’s marine life was almost diminished.

                                 Fishermen had to sail for a 2 day trip  to the surrounding

                                  Islands  to catch fish.

                                 In 1982 Liberty

                                 together with her brother Mario Pascobello and Dr. Alcala from                                                      Siliman University for Marine Studies , initiated the                                                                              establishment of the marine sanctuary.

                                 A short coast strip of 300 meters was declared: No fishing zone.

                                 It was not easy to enforce the new rule for APO.

                                 Many fishermen opposed the idea.

                                 How shall we feed our families, if you take away fishing areas?

 

                                 The idea of Liberty:

                                 I give other jobs and income to these fishermen,

                                 who “ owned” this coastline as their fishing territory.

 

                                 Fishermen were employed at Libertys Lodge and as guards to                                                           protect the new “ No fishing zone”.

 

                                 Over the last decades corals and reef fishes came back.

 

                                 Soon fishermen observed more fishes around APO.

                                 Because the Sanctuary is a breeding place and a save area for                                                            baby fishes, which will leave this sanctuary, as they grow up.

 

                                 In the following years Divers discovered APO Island

                                 as the secret insider dive area.

 

                                       Now it is home to over 650 documented species of fish

                                 and it is estimated to have over 400 species of corals.

 

                                 Later the Philippine government discovered:

                                 APO as a good place for demanding entrance fees.

 

                                 Visitors from Japan, Korea and other places come to APO

                                 to find out, what Liberty achieved and how she did it.

                                 They want to copy her success for their marine,

                                 to attract visitors and have a small income.

 

                                 Liberty is happy to teach them , give help and hopes more and                                                          more Sanctuaries will be set up.

 

 

 

 

                                

                                                 

 

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Liberty , the present „Barangay Captain of APO“

 

.. The mother of the Island

 

 

 

· She paiys for  associated cost for guarding the sanctuary and gives alternative jobs for fishermen.

 

· She gives work and income to more than 25 APO people in her Lodge and dive shop.

 

· Her engagement and financial support was the success for the sanctuary.

 

· She is also helping and advising  to set up sanctuaries on other islands as well.

 

· She helps the APO people to pay their doctors and hospital bills.

 

· She pays to the APO community for School, Library and other needs.

 

· She wants to open a second Sanctuary on APO , but needs financial support to do it.

         Her present engagement is at her limits.

 

 

 

 

    If you want to support  Liberty

    to continue her work  for more marine life protection...

                                                                                                          

 

    ... You should decide  to stay on APO in Libertys Lodge and utilize her divshop.

 

· This brings jobs and income for APO.

 

· This enables Liberty to continue her work  on Marine protection and the 2nd  sanctuary.

 

· Enables her to buy all equipment and materials to guard the new Sanctuary.

 

· Protection means: paying fishermen not to fish in the declared sanctuaries.

 

·  Giving them alternate jobs like working in Liberty`s resort.    

                    

· guarding the sanctuary  and qualify them as „dive guards“