Philippines Volunteer Programs from $26/day | Most Affordable & Trusted

Volunteering through IVHQ has been a great experience! Not only do you get to see the world through the people’s eyes, but you get to live it also. Working to make small communities a little bit better, making people’s lives a little bit easier, it’s an extremely rewarding experience!
You get to meet so many beautiful people from all across the world. In the group I had started my volunteer work with, each of the 8 people were from a different country, of different origins, and all different accents. That alone was a great experience.
You get to see the beauty of the areas you live in, live the way the locals would and eat the local food, which is still pretty good.
It is definitely an experience worth living through, I strongly suggest giving it a go. I had my doubts, but in the end, every part of my volunteer experience was incredible. Best decision I have made.

I wish someone had told me about this opportunity years ago because it’s an excellent program. You get to people from all parts of the world and go on some crazy adventures, but most importantly you can see how the work you do, directly impacts the residents of Tigman Village.

I just spent 3 weeks in the Philippines (it was supppsed to be 2 but I stayed for longer because I didn’t want to go) working on the Construction & Renovation project.

The first week is orientation, so the coordinators will take you around the village, teach you some of the basic words and phrases and take you to Narra market and the butterfly gardens so you get to see some of what the Philippines have to offer you also get to go to the Sandbar and try making some banana fritters which are delicious.

The weekends are great because it’s your own free time, so we took a group to El Nido, which was absolutely awesome, if you go make sure to do one of the island tours, it’s so much fun! (Just don’t but drinks with ice out there because you will get sick, that’s the only thing you’ll need to worry about).

The second and third week for me was helping to build a new communal area for the school teachers. I also needed to break down one of the walls in the school and rebuild a smaller one so bikes and tricycles could get through to deliver building materials. It was challenging work because it can get very hot during the day, but it’s so rewarding because you can see what it’s going to be used for and you know that you helped contribute to something useful for the community.

Personally I would say if your looking for an adventure, something different from your day to day, you will absolutely love the amazing work Green Lion do and the Philippines. The coordinators are excellent, it’s very safe in the village and outside and the school kids will come and ask how you’re doing.

There’s no WIFI and that might sound terrifying but it’s really nice to disconnect from the world. As there are lots of other volunteers there’s an opportunity to meet some great people with really interesting stories to tell.

The only issue I had with this program is that I didn’t want to leave. It really does feel like home after a couple of days and it’s nice be part of the Tigman family.

If there’s some advice I would pass on to future volunteers, I would say to remember that your not going to be able to change the world overnight, but it’ll be your help that directly impacts the overall success of the developing community as it continues to grow and develop.

My name is Caline Al Haddad, I come from Lebanon and I was a volunteer in Tigman Village for 3 weeks in January. Being part of the Tigman Family was one of the most fulfilling experiences I have ever gone through. Before reaching the village, I didn’t know what to expect. I was of course really excited and ready for a new adventure, however, I was a bit nervous and didn’t know what to expect. Once I arrived, I was really surprised. Everything was already set in the accomodations, people were really nice, we got a big welcome from everybody, and The Green Lions made sure that we were comfrotable and well set.

We started by the orientation week, in which we had the opportunity to visit the Butterfly Garden, the Waterfalls and the Sandbar. Also, our host Miko gave us a Tagalog class as well as a cooking class and an introduction/safety class.

We started volunteering the next week. I was in construction. The project we were working on was building a teacher’s office in Tigman’s school. Since the schedule is flexible, I was also able to try teaching for a day. My friend Nour and I went to one of the schools and gave lessons for grades 1 and 2.

I can say that the best part of this experience was sharing it with all these amazing people that come from all parts of the world. 3 weeks are not enough to feel like you’ve made a big difference in the village. However, living like the locals, taking part in their festivities, in their traditions, in their everyday life and making friends from all around the world make of this experience an unforgettable one. Breakfast with all the volunteers, the chicken fight, the basketball games, the village’s fest, chocolate time with my roomates, the famous karaoke nights every thursday and the firefly river are what I am going to remember the most.

The worst part was actually leaving. Before arriving to Tigman, I had never thought that I would get this attched to these people and that I would cry on the last day. After spending all of this time with everyone and sharing unforgettable moments with them, you become so close and feel like you’ve known them forever.
Sadly, nothing lasts forever and each one has to go his own way. Memories will however never be forgotten.

Tigman village, forever in my heart

I travelled to the Philippines for a week to take part in their kindergarten volunteering programme. I enjoyed my time, far beyond my expectations, and the first thing I would tell prospective volunteers is...go for longer!

In the short time I was there, I met amazing people (both volunteers and locals), and was able to see how the team works so hard to make a positive, tangible, impact in the community. The children at the kindergarten are thrilled to have volunteers there, as are the other villagers who tell stories of how the programme has helped their community grow over time.

I was in the Philippines over Christmas and New Year, and would highly recommend it during this time, if you can. Everyone is in such good spirits, and you really get a feel for how strong the community is. We organised a Christmas party for the school, with games, karaoke, and performances from the children - which we all loved. Everyone in the village wishes you a Merry Christmas.

Though I have so many more great memories from the trip, instead of sharing them here I encourage people to go and experience the place for themselves. All the logistics work, and the coordinators are so helpful during your time there, so all that's left for you is to enjoy the experience. Get as involved as you can and be open to trying new things, and there's no doubt you'll have a great time!

This trip to the Phillipines was everything and more. I started off by having no expectations and just let my open-mindedness take over. You definitely have to come to this third-world and not expect to achieve things as a high standard. As I was explaining to Dani who works for IVHQ in NZ, this program definitely gives you gratitude and appreciation but also teaches you how to let go of first world problems that are really just luxuries that aren’t that important. The biggest tip are to forget the amenities we have back home and try to live in their shoes in the Phillipines. Some of my favorite memories are just becoming family with the staff. I am also Filipino and they definitely helped me understand my culture more. Some of my favorite memories also include just the people you meet. The conversations, debates, and diversity is very unforgettable. This program has opened my eyes to traveling and future volunteer work and career work. I will definitely be back. Thank you to Green Lion for being my second family. I loved this program! (I was in the environmental program which is very unique because not everyone can handle the tropical environment so I was alone most of the time, but mark and construction was worthwhile as well and would definitely recommend construction with SuperKing Mark!!)

Loved it here! The program I was on was the kindergarten one and it was very interesting and challenging at the same time, as the kinder children have very little English but try very hard to please the volunteers. The children and the teachers at the school are very welcoming of volunteers and that makes it easier to go there and have fun.
I would recommend this program to anyone who truly wants to live life the way the people in the Philippines do. The volunteer camp is beautiful and even though it is very remote it gave me a chance to realize what life is really like for the people living in Tigman Village. The staff at the Green Lion are very accommodating to all volunteers and try their best to make it work for everyone, I will never forget them or the children I was lucky enough to be able to spend time with.

I will start to say that the Philippines was one of the best experiences that I had in my life so far.
I went to a 3 weeks programme and before I was thinking it was too much time but at the end of the third week, I didn’t want to leave that place.
It changed my way of thinking and seeing the things around me.
In the village, everyone knows each other, and people are so kind and welcoming that after a few days you feel connected with them.
Saying goodbye to my students was the worst and best thing at the same time. The worst because I knew I would miss them a lot and the best because I felt that I had made a positive impact in their life.
In addition, things in the Philippine are very cheap and it's a wonderful country to visit.

Tip: bring a good repellent!

I was with the IVHQ team at the Philippines for only a week, but that was enough for me to realize that this is something I'd like to try again. It showed me what it meant to travel meaningfully. You get to have all your fun, plus you feel good about it too. The Environmental program has varied activities for the weekdays, all of which I found to be educational in a way. The weekends are the absolute best. There's always so much to experience on the island from scuba diving to bonfire parties, it's all a thrill ride. Everything's very affordable and the people are quite possibly the friendliest I've ever seen.