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Base is where you will live, eat, and play during your time on the program! It is communal living at its finest. Some call it rustic, others call it home. The base is usually co-ed bunk-style dorm rooms with assorted common areas for eating and relaxing.
ACCOMODATIONS & FACILITIES
ACCOMODATIONS & FACILITIES
An example of a bunk room
Sleeping Arrangements: We offer free accommodation for all residential volunteers. We offer volunteers bunk beds in mixed dormitory rooms. Bunk beds will not have any bedding or mattresses provided, so you must bring your own air mattress, a sleeping bag or blanket, and a pillow.
These can also be purchased in local shops in Hinunangan. Some bedding may be left behind from previous volunteers, but we can’t guarantee it, please reach out to our Volunteer Relations Coordinator before your trip to find out what we have available during your stay.
Additionally, we will have some tent spaces available, if you wish to bring your own tent. If so, please, inform the Volunteer Relations Coordinator so we can reserve you a spot.
Shared room
Tent area
Bathroom Facilities: A Western-style toilet is available in each room for individuals assigned to the specific room to use. Please keep in mind that a drainage system gets clogged a lot, so toilet paper and any sanitary items need to be disposed of in provided bins.
We also have working showers in the bathrooms, however, only with cold water.
We don’t provide separate bathroom facilities for women and men.
Bathroom
Kitchen facilities: The kitchen at our base will be equipped with basic cooking equipment such as pots, frying pans, basic utensils, cutlery, plates, cups, glasses, etc. It will be available for you to use in the morning so that you can prepare your breakfast. You can also use it on your days off and in the evening if you wish to prepare your own dinner instead of the one provided. Please note that during working days, the kitchen will be occupied by local cooks who will be preparing lunch and dinner, so you will have limited or no access to the kitchen throughout the day.
We have a small communal fridge, which can be used for personal food. However, the space is very limited so you should anticipate bringing only needed items to be stored at a low temperature.
Kitchen area
An example of a sealed container for personal food
Communal space: We will have a dedicated common space at the base where you will be able to spend time with other volunteers, attend daily meetings, eat your meals, and participate in events. We will also have a designated well-being space for anyone who wants to spend time in a more quiet environment. Please note that consumption of alcohol, loud behavior, and loud music are not allowed in the well-being space.
Please feel free to bring along some board games, footballs, volleyballs, or any other kind of entertainment. We encourage you to consider bringing indoor activities for those times when we need to stay inside.
We will have a designated smoking area. Please note that smoking or vaping outside of these designated areas is not allowed.
Laundry: We will provide a clean work shirt for each day, however, personal laundry can be hand-washed. Usually, the team also engages community members to provide personal laundry service a couple of times a week, though volunteers must cover that cost themselves.
BASE VIDEO
ELECTRICITY AND INTERNET
ELECTRICITY AND INTERNET
We are allowed to use the resort WiFi, though it reaches only certain areas of the base - you can not reach it in the volunteer rooms.
A quite unreliable phone reception is at the base area, however, we still recommend having a functioning SIM card for when you leave the base to ensure communication. A local SIM card with a data package can be purchased at the airport on arrival or in Tacloban. There are several SIM card providers in the country, but Globe provides the best coverage in our local area. Here you can read an extensive guide to getting a SIM card in the Philippines. Please make sure your phone is unlocked, otherwise, the local sim card will not work on your phone.
If you regularly need a computer or phone for personal use, we recommend bringing your own.
In the Philippines, the power sockets are of type A and B. The standard voltage is 220V, and the standard frequency is 60Hz. We have occasional power outages. If necessary, please ensure you purchase a power adapter to charge your electrical items. Power outlets are limited, and we currently have 2 or 3 sockets per room. Solar chargers and power banks are ideal.
FOOD
FOOD
We provide three meals a day, six days per week - on each working day. There will be no meals provided on your day off. Although the menu can vary depending on the availability of products in the local area, the typical meals at the AHAH base are the following:
Breakfast: Oats, Peanut Butter, Jam, Bread, Eggs, Fruits, Tea and Instant Coffee. Products will be available for you, but you will be responsible for preparing your own breakfast before going to the worksite.
Lunch: Local Filipino food with vegetarian options available for volunteers who request it. Rice is usually served with every meal in the Philippines. Some of the most popular Filipino dishes that you can expect to have frequently are pancit, chicken adobo, sinigang, kare kare, bulalo, lumpia, sisig, torta. Most of those are originally prepared with meat but can be adjusted to be vegetarian.
Dinner: Local Filipino food. In the Philippines, there is little distinction between the lunch and dinner menu. We will try to provide a different menu throughout the day, but generally, please expect similar types of dishes to be served for lunch and dinner.
Vegetarian diets can be accommodated, but vegans, celiacs, and other dietary requirements will have to supplement what we can provide with items they bring or source and purchase themselves.
VEGETARIANS! Please note that if you are eating out, most of the items listed in the veggie section include meat. Always ask if the food contains meat or inform your waiter that you are vegetarian.
You will be able to use the kitchen whenever local staff are not cooking meals for the base. We have a small fridge, where you can store your food but the space is limited.
In the area where we live, you can find small shops, locally known as sari-sari stores, that sell snacks, drinks, and fruits. Local eateries can also be found selling home-cooked Filipino meals.
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