Jake was born and raised in Surigao City, Philippines. He went to high school at the Ateneo de Manila, and spent a couple of years in college in the same university before choosing a military education.
As a cadet in the Philippine Military Academy he underwent Scuba training under the Philippine Navy’s Special Warfare Group. After graduating from the academy in 1999, he went on to serve in the Philippine Navy, diving under his ship when the opportunity presented itself.
He has since moved back to the private sector, serving in various capacities such as president of the Surigao Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and representative of the Mindanao business sector at the Mindanao Development Authority. He has recently retired from both positions, and even declined an appointment as a top level official in government. He now serves as a government consultant for underwater search and recovery projects, and figured as a coordinator for the successful 2012 sonar search of the plane wreckage of the late DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo. Jake advocates the use of modern diving technology in government and military work, particularly in search and recovery.
His first cave dive was in Silop Cave in Surigao City where he was almost lost in a new chamber with his buddy. Thereafter, he pursued cave training to become a certified full cave diver.
Jake Miranda, aside from being a hotelier and an entrepreneur, is now a fulltime SDI/TDI diving instructor and cave diver. He operates Punta Bilar Dive Center in Surigao City, and JJ Dive Center in Butuan City. He is married and has four children.
Filipino Cave Divers 
Hello Jake,
I don’t know which point of contact you check or reaches you, so I am sending you the same message on FB and on here so hopefully one reaches you 🙂
My name is Alex Dianocki. I am a biologist from USA.
I just wanted to connect with you and inquire about some aspects regarding the conservation efforts in Siargao. I am interested in these efforts. I believe preserving Siargao’s wildlife is extremely important because SIPLAS is truly one of the last places in the Philippines that realistically holds the potential to be effectively revived to near pre-anthropogenic conditions and also effectively preserved without having to use an extraordinary amount of effort, time or funds to accomplish those goals.
My personal expertise is in coral reefs, and what draws my interest so forcibly to Siargao is that there are extensive reefs bordering the large and protected mangrove forests around Del Carmen. Although I have not visited Siargao yet, I believe that the reefs of Siargao, especially off the western side of the island near the mangrove forest, hold the potential to truly be some of the very best coral reefs in the entire world, but only if they are properly protected in synergy with the adjacent mangroves and remaining lowland forest.
I have travelled all around the Philippines studying the reefs, and I have witnessed in many circumstances how properly implemented coastal management practices can greatly benefit the local communities and the wildlife alike. I have also seen how uncontrolled tourism can harm certain aspects of the wildlife as well. It is plain to see how a healthy balance of: ecotourism, local education and stewardship, and enforcement of wildlife protection can improve and sustain biodiversity and positively impact the communities that surround and rely on these healthy marine resources.
Please let me know if you received this message, and I hope we can talk further.
Thanks for your time Jake,
~Alex