LOCAL AREA

Language

Filipino/Tagalog is the national language of the Philippines. Bisaya/Visayan is the official language used in the local communities of Southern Leyte province. English is also widely spoken.

Currency

The official currency in the Philippines is the Philippines Peso (PHP). There are ATMs 15-30-minute drive from the base, so you will need to bring cash. There are many ATMs available in Manila and Tacloban, and larger stores in both cities will sometimes take cards. We recommend you contact your local banking institution to let them know you are travelling abroad in order to minimise any issues with using your bank card overseas.

Gcash

There is a mobile app called gCash that acts like Venmo for the US. You register yourself and can connect your credit card to transfer cash to it. Many places don’t accept cards but will accept gCash. You can send money via phone number to other Filipino numbers.

Gcash doesn't accept transfers from all international banks. You can find a list of the gcash partner banks here. You can also use these services or paypal to transfer money into gcash. If your bank isn't accepted by gCash, and you can’t use any of the mentioned above methods, you can go to a Palawan Pawnshop and Cebuana LHuillier store and deposit cash into it. Make sure to wait to see if it's loaded into your account before leaving. You must have a Filipino sim card in order to use this app.

Base

Our base is located in barangay (village) Candatag in the municipality of Malitbog. The base is nearby the Concepcion National High School, about 500 meters or a 6-minute walk from the school to the base. The base is about a 4-minute drive to the municipality of Malitbog. In Malitbog, you can find the central market, a diagnostic clinic, and small shops. The closest ATM is in the main road of Malitbog municipality, the Rural Bank of Malitbog. Malitbog is a small municipality that would give you a real taste of living in local Filipino communities. That being said, the usual western-style entertainment is rare. The closest city is Sogod, with amenities such as banks, ATMs, few restaurants, and a few hotels. You will find the Town Center Sogod, the central shopping market that sells mattresses, linen, food (including alternative milk like soy and rice), toiletries, tools, etc.

The closest ATM is in Malitbog. There is also another ATM in Padre Burgos, across the town square, approximately 12 km from the base. The international card is accepted but not guaranteed. If exchanging US Dollars, Euros, or other major currencies to Philippines Pesos, please do so in Manila or Tacloban/Maasin City.

PLEASE NOTE that the barangay (area) where our base is located is smoke-free. You can be fined if found smoking. Currently, fines are set as follows:

• 1st offense: Php 500 - Php 1,000;

• 2nd offense: Php 1,000 - Php 5,000;

• 3rd offense: Php 5,000 - Php 10,000 and cancellation/revocation of franchise or business permit (potential threat of visa revocation)

You can find more information here.

Southern Leyte

Southern Leyte is known for diving and snorkelling. It is a great place to learn how to dive with many diving resorts in the area. Typhoon Odette destroyed a lot of the coral and many beaches have more coral than sand, but we are slowly seeing the return of sandy beaches. Despite the coral in the shallow water areas being destroyed it's still beautiful below and many of the fish are still there, you can only imagine what it looked like before. Unfortunately, you can easily find a lot of plastic in the water so please keep in mind the items you bring with you when you go to the beach and properly dispose of any trash that comes from your items. If there isn't a place to dispose of them at the beach bring the items back with you to the base to properly dispose of.

Malitbog

Malitbog is a small municipality with limited amenities. The town is located by the sea, so most eateries will serve seafood and fish-based dishes. Filipinos tend to eat a lot of meat, so vegetarian options might be limited, and vegan might be hard to find. Filipinos love bread, so you will find some small bakeries around and also sari-saris (local kiosks), where you can find snacks and basic toiletries. There is also a small market in the city. You will mostly be able to buy small quantities of things (e.g. single sachets of shampoo etc.), so it’s better to come prepared and buy some basics in your arrival city (Manila, Cebu, Tacloban, Sogod or Maasin City). Additionally, in town, you will find a local market, a small local diagnostic clinic, and a municipal office. The Philippines used to be a Spanish colony, and in the town you can still find signs of that. There is a small 'Historic Spanish Jail' located by the seaside.

This is what the typical eatery in the Philippines looks like:

Explore more by using the Google street view.

Sogod

Sogod is the closest city to our base. There you will find some accommodation options, if you want to stay there for a night before heading to the base. There are also a few ATMs (Metrobank), shops (Puregold, Gaisano) and a lot of pharmacies. Southern Leyte State Univeristy is located in the north of the town, and there is a small port in the south.

Fun fact, Limasawa island located off the coast of Southern Leyte used to be a beloved go-to place for monthly breaks for AHAH staff and volunteers when we ran a Project in Tacloban in the past. If you mention the name All Hands Volunteers (that’s what we used to be called in the past), some people might still recognize us :)

You can also learn more about travelling around the Philippines from the following websites:

Philippines.travel - Southern Leyte guide to best attractions

Backpackingwithabook.com - updated 2022 guide to travelling in the Philippines by a local

U.S. Embassy in the Philippines - safety information, COVID-19 restrictions and more

According to the Philippine Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases  (IATF), Southern Leyte is currently under Alert Levels 1. That’s the level with the lowest risk of COVID-19 transmission and it’s defined as follows: ‘Alert Level 1 - refers to areas wherein case transmission is low and decreasing, total bed utilization rate, and intensive care unit utilization rate is low.’ (IATF, p. )

Alert Level 1 means that all events and activities can run at full capacity, and there are no restrictions on the use of public transportation. The face mask mandate is still in place in the entire country. The official advisory on face mask-wearing:

‘At all times, well-fitted masks shall be worn properly, whether outdoors or in indoor private or public establishments, including in public transportation by land, air, or sea, except for the following instances: i. Eating and drinking; ii. Participating in team and individual sports in venues where ventilation standards can be maintained; iii. Practicing outdoor sports/exercise activities where physical distance can be maintained.’ (p, 20)

Please refer to this document for a full advisory on the restrictions for the Alert Level 1 (Pages 16-20).

Although Southern Leyte is now in the Alerty Level 1, the situation can change rapidly, so please make sure to check the latest recommendations from IATF, Department of Health or the Official travel advisory before you travel to the country. Please also note that each region might have different restrictions depending on the Alert Level they are in, so also check restrictions for the regions that you will be transiting through.

For more information, including about differences in Alert Levels,  visit  the Philippine Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) website  and Guidelines on the Implementation of Alert Levels System for COVID-19 Response in Pilot Areas.

Head to our Health, Safety, and Security page and read more about our COVID safety measures, information on our approach to Safety and Security in Mexico, and useful information to help you prepare mentally and physically for life on the program.