PACKING

• Mattress and sleeping bag/sheets. We DO NOT provide mattresses, sheets, pillows, etc. We do not provide bedding so you should bring what you need to be comfortable. Sometimes previous volunteers leave items behind, but we can not guarantee what will be available.

• Bring personal CASH from home or withdraw at the airport. There are not many ATMs in the area around the base, so you will have to withdraw cash when you visit a city. Before your departure, confirm with your bank that you will be travelling so that your transactions are not flagged up as fraudulent.

• ATM/credit card - it might be dangerous to travel around the country with large amounts of money.

• Unlocked phone

• Lock for luggage - robbery is not an uncommon threat in the Philippines and this can help you to stay on the safe side

• Mosquito net - This is highly recommended due to the risk of dengue fever in Southern Leyte.

• Mosquito repellent - very important!

  • There are lots of mosquitos and insects but limited supplies in the area, so we encourage everyone to bring their own.

  • If you have to recheck in your checked bag in Manila, the airport sometimes doesn't allow aerosol cans, so you should consider bringing a different form of bug spray. Once you’ve settled at the base, you can find bug spray in town or in Maasin or Sogod.

  • Check your itinerary; if your bag doesn't have to be checked, it should be fine but always ask the airline.

• Gatorade, Powerade, electrolyte-replacement powder - it is very hot, and the work is intense, so this is very important

• Sunscreen/ Small personal Aloe gel/lotion/etc. - SPF 50! This is absolutely necessary to protect yourself from the Filipino sun! It's also how the locals look so young! Protect your skin!

  • Please be mindful that you will likely spend a lot of time in the ocean, so we recommend bringing reef-safe sunscreen. Some sunscreens are falsely marketed as “reef-friendly” so check the ingredient list! Some ingredients to avoid are oxybenzone, octinoxate, oxctocrylene and homosalate but you can learn more here.

• Work clothes. We provide short-sleeved work shirts, but you should bring durable and comfy long shorts (knee-length or longer), comfortable, light pants or leggings.

• Long-sleeved shirt for pouring concrete + as protection from mosquitoes

• Personal Protective Equipment

  • We Highly recommend bringing work gloves especially if you have small hands since it's very hard to find gloves that size in the area.

  • Dark lensed safety glasses or goggles. Your eyes can feel a little strained when working in the sun all day.

  • Ear plugs. We will provide the normal orange squishy earplugs for the site, but we recommend bring either your preferred type or a good quality pair such as those by Howard Leight

• Lots of socks (these tend to disappear in a communal living environment)

• A universal adaptor, personal extension cord.

• Personal coffee

  • It can sometimes be hard to find coffee in the area. There is mainly instant coffee that is very sweet.

  • A french press for those of you who like a nice cup of coffee in the morning

• A travel mug - if you want to drink out of a non plastic vessel we recommend bringing your own mug

• Water bottle - we will provide safe drinking water through dispensers, but you will need your own water bottle to have it handy while on site or in your own room

• Lightweight Waterproof rain jacket or sweater for the rare chilly nights

• Personal items, toiletries, towel - we don't provide towels

• Fan for your bed - battery-powered. It gets really hot in the Philippines.

• Sharpie (for marking your belongings) - Sometimes people get items confused with their own or borrow things without asking (if you grew up with siblings, you understand!). It's a good practice to label your items. You can also label it before you leave home.

• Normal clothes for after work, days off and community events.

  • Bring light, breathable clothing

  • No short shorts; the locals have an inappropriate name for them.

• Tetanus shot + all the necessary vaccinations

  • You must have Both Covid Vaccines and a Booster in order to enter the Philippines without an RT-PCR

• Personal first aid kit, including any medication, e.g. paracetamol, oral rehydration salts, antidiarrheals, etc.

• Eye drops and eye wash - we will have basic wye drops and eye wash but you can bring some if you have sensitive eyes or use a lot

• Personal medication: this can be hard to access in Maasin. Please bring enough for the duration of your stay on the program. Note that shipping to the Philippines may be unreliable.

Due to the threat of Dengue, we recommend the use of acetaminophen over paracetamol.

• Vitamins, food supplements, comfort food. - HIghly advisable to bring any supplements that you regularly take at home, or any food that will make you feel more at home

• Power adapter - if you use different plugs in your home country (power sockets are of type A and B).

• Earplugs and a sleep mask

  • Sunrise will be around 5:00 am when the program starts. If you struggle to sleep with light, we recommend you bring a sleep mask.

  • If you didn't know, the Karaoke Machine was invented in Japan BUT the Karaoke Sing Along System was invented by a Filipino. That being said, Karaoke is very popular in the area, and sometimes the neighbours will sing late into the night. If you are a sensitive sleeper, we recommend bringing earplugs.

  • The local roosters also love a good karaoke jam early in the morning.

• Backup battery charging pack or Portable solar power charger.

  • This is recommended, but only bring if you would like. There are constant power outages; they don't last long. The time ranges from 2 minutes to the longest we’ve experienced was almost 3 hours.

• Headlamp or flashlight - handy when the lights go off but you can also rely on your phone if you choose to

• Sanitary products

  • Tampons are not widely available in the area. Make sure to bring enough for the duration of your stay if not using a reusable alternative like menstrual cups or period underwear.

• Sun hat or umbrella OR umbrella hat if you want to be fancy since it will be the rainy season.

  • Your face will thank you when you sweat the sunscreen off.

  • You can also find many sun hats in Maasin if it's something you wish to buy in the country

• Sunglasses- It can get pretty bright on hot sunny days.

• Swimwear

  • Southern Leyte is known for snorkelling or diving. You can bring your own snorkelling gear or purchase it in any of the larger cities like Tacloban, Cebu, or Ormoc. (Please note that these places are far from base, 3-5 hours)

• Water shoes- our base is located directly in front of the coast, where there are many sea urchins and often broken glass. We don’t recommend entering barefoot.

• Personal snacks and drinks such as tea and coffee - It can sometimes be hard to find coffee in the area. There is mainly instant coffee that is very sweet.=

• Personal speaker - it always comes in handy, especially on the working site. It's not compulsory, but volunteers are usually happy if they bring it

• Sense of humour!