Go Pro · Instructor
PADI Instructor Development Course in the Philippines
Learn to teach, in Dauin, with ten years of IDCs behind us.
Knowing how to dive and knowing how to teach are different skills. Instructor training is your opportunity to work on both: explaining clearly, recognising when someone needs help and creating the conditions for learning.
Explore PADI instructor training in Dauin with Bongo Bongo. Understand the preparation and assessment stages, and build a clear picture of the training costs before you commit.
Platinum: PADI Asia Pacific
Professional Development Excellence Award, March 2026. Platinum is the highest of its four levels and recognises how many PADI professionals a centre trained in the previous year.
See how we teach
Meet the Scuba Instructor Philippines team and see how we train future dive professionals here in Dauin.
Who the IDC suits
Divemasters, or divers with an equivalent leadership rating, who want to teach scuba diving.
Before you start
- PADI Divemaster (or an equivalent leadership rating)
- Certified as a diver for at least 6 months
- At least 60 logged dives to start the IDC, and 100 by the Instructor Examination
- Emergency First Response (or equivalent) training within the last 24 months
- At least 18 years old
Not a Divemaster yet? Start with Divemaster training.
Three stages
- Preparation: two preparation days before the IDC
- Instructor Development Course (IDC): the PADI Assistant Instructor and Open Water Scuba Instructor programmes, the Emergency First Response Instructor course and 5 + 2 free specialty instructor courses, run by our PADI Course Director
- Instructor Examination (IE): an independent two-day exam run by PADI, held in Dauin straight after the IDC, on fixed dates
During the IDC you practise teaching presentations in the classroom, in confined water and in open water, and you prepare for the IE's written exams.
Price and what's included
PHP 110,000
per person, current price, including 5 + 2 free specialty instructor courses. PADI fees are separate (2026, in AUD): IDC application 350, Instructor Examination 1,190, EFR Instructor application 252 and one specialty instructor rating at 152.90, about AUD 1,945 in total. If you register all 7 specialty ratings, PADI charges for 5 and the other 2 are free (about AUD 2,557 in total). See PADI fees.
Included
- Two preparation days before the IDC
- PADI Assistant Instructor and Open Water Scuba Instructor programmes
- Emergency First Response Instructor course
- 5 + 2 free specialty instructor courses
- All PADI and EFR course materials
- Lunch during the IDC
- Marine park fees during your training
- Optional two-week Learn to Teach programme
- Optional dive CV workshop
- T-shirt and graduation party
Not included
- PADI application, examination and rating fees, paid to PADI
- Accommodation
- Meals other than lunch during the IDC
Dates
We run up to six IDCs a year, each followed by the PADI Instructor Examination here in Dauin. See the upcoming IDC dates.
After your IDC
Our optional two-week Learn to Teach programme gives you teaching experience after the IDC. Ask us about availability for your dates.
IDC dates and how to prepare
Each course starts with two optional prep days, followed by the IDC and then the PADI Instructor Examination (IE), which PADI organises and holds straight after the IDC.
Upcoming IDC dates
- 18Nov 2026WednesdayPrep days (optional)18–19 NovIDC20 Nov – 3 DecInstructor Exam4–5 Dec
- 25Jan 2027MondayPrep days (optional)25–26 JanIDC27 Jan – 10 FebInstructor Exam11–12 Feb
- 31Mar 2027WednesdayPrep days (optional)31 Mar – 1 AprIDC2–16 AprInstructor Exam17–18 Apr
- 22May 2027SaturdayPrep days (optional)22–23 MayIDC24 May – 7 JunInstructor Exam8–9 Jun
- 19Jul 2027MondayPrep days (optional)19–20 JulIDC21 Jul – 4 AugInstructor Exam5–6 Aug
- 12Sep 2027SundayPrep days (optional)12–13 SepIDC14–28 SepInstructor Exam29–30 Sep
- 28Nov 2027SundayPrep days (optional)28–29 NovIDC30 Nov – 14 DecInstructor Exam15–16 Dec
PADI sets the Instructor Examination dates and can change them, so please check with us before you book flights.
Before you arrive
Arrive a few days early if you can
We recommend arriving a few days before your start date, so you have time to settle in and find your way around. If your schedule is tight, that’s fine: we understand, and we’ll do our best to support you as much as we can. Our schedule has a couple of days’ allowance built in, so we can flex it if anything unexpected comes up.
The prep days are optional
The two prep days before the IDC are voluntary, and you don’t have to attend them. We do encourage everyone to join them, though: they’re a good way to get ready before the IDC begins.
Study before you arrive
If we could give you just one piece of advice, it would be this, and from experience it makes the biggest difference of all. There is a lot to take in during the IDC days, and studying at the same time makes the programme much harder and more stressful. For the best start and the least pressure, finish all your PADI eLearning and study each section thoroughly before you arrive. Then you can focus completely on learning during the IDC.
Good to know
What is the difference between the IDC and the IE?
The IDC is the training, run by our PADI Course Director. The Instructor Examination (IE) is a separate two-day exam run by PADI, held in Dauin straight after the IDC. PADI's IE fee is separate.
Does the IDC make me a Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT)?
No. The 5 + 2 free specialty instructor courses help you work towards Master Scuba Diver Trainer, a PADI rating you apply for once you meet PADI's requirements, including certifying divers. MSDT preparation is not the MSDT rating.
Which specialty instructor courses are included?
5 + 2 free. Your IDC group chooses them together with the Course Director, and everyone in the group takes the same ones.
Which languages is the IDC taught in?
Our Master Instructors speak English, French, German, Danish and Filipino. Ask us which languages are available for your IDC intake.
Where can I stay during the IDC?
Accommodation isn't included in the IDC price. Divemaster and IDC candidates can stay with us at monthly rates, charged by the week: a dorm bed is PHP 15,000 a month and a single room PHP 20,000 a month. See our rooms, or add a trainee room in Build My Career to see it in your estimate.
Do you guarantee a pass or a job?
No. We prepare you as well as we can and give you honest feedback, but the Instructor Examination is run independently by PADI, and we don't promise jobs.
We don't promise jobs, exam results or a fixed finishing date. How long your training takes depends on your experience, the conditions and your progress, and we'll be honest with you about where you are.
Talk to us about your training
Tell us a little about your diving and when you'd like to start. We'll reply by email with the details and help you plan your next step.
Haven't decided on dates, or not sure which programme fits? That's fine; just tell us where you are now.
You can also email us at ask@divebongo.com.
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