Dauin and Dumaguete are genuinely one of the more affordable and convenient places in the Philippines to learn to dive, not just a place to dive once certified. Nearly every dive resort along the Dauin strip (Mike’s, Liquid, Easy Diving, Oceanism, and others) runs full PADI course programs — Discover Scuba Diving (DSD, a half-day pool-and-shallow-reef taster, no certification required beforehand), through Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, and specialty courses. A DSD experience typically converts toward your Open Water certification if you decide to continue, and extra fun dives after a DSD can be added for roughly ₱2,500 each at some operators. Course pricing in the Dauin/Dumaguete area generally runs below Manila-area rates (where a full Open Water course commonly runs ₱20,000-25,000) — exact pricing varies by operator and what’s included (e-learning, gear rental, certification fee, marine park fees), so it’s worth confirming what’s bundled before comparing quotes across shops rather than assuming the cheapest headline price is the best value. Being able to do confined-water and shallow open-water training directly off Dauin’s beach, without a boat trip, is part of what keeps costs down here versus destinations requiring daily boat charters.