Leaping in the Philippines

I was lucky enough to be in the first team for the Leap's new Philippines program which is 4 weeks in the Philippines after 6 weeks in Borneo. From Manilla a short flight took us to Legazpi City and then a 2 hr drive down to Bulusan on the East Coast. The people we met in Bulusan were lovely, so welcoming, kind and friendly. We worked on different projects in Bulusan, a huge beach clean-up which the local people took part in too, on a beautiful palm-fringed beach. We worked in a local school, planted rice in a paddy field and helped volunteers clear the trails around the lake.
The 2nd part of the program takes you to Ticao Island where you live with local families in the village on the beach for the first few days and then to Ticao Island beach resort. We island-hopped, saw fireflies, snorkled with beautiful fish, rode horses and there is a dive centre there too. If you should run out of things to do there is always a karaoke machine around.
The volunteering projects on the island are working in local schools and teaching children as well as teaching them about waste management.
I had an amazing time in the Philippines, lovely people, beautiful surroundings, fun and worthwhile projects, even the food, from what I understand not generally highly rated, was great.