| Report | On March 15th, 2008, our group of Hokkaido ALTs departed Chitose International Airport for Manila. We arrived at midnight and were greeted at the packed airport by our co-ordinators and some welcomed warm weather. The van that picked us up was unusually late, even for Philippine standards, due to traffic, and it was an indication of the beginning of the summer season. About an hour later, the team arrived at the guesthouse, which we would call home for the next two weeks. We were really happy with the accommodation, not only because it was a nice, spacious place and a convenient starting point for many destinations, but also because it was staffed with warm, helpful people that made our stay memorable. Did I mention free laundry service?
With a clang of the bell at 6:30 in the morning, we started off our days with breakfast at the guesthouse, then on to a 40-minute jeepney commute to the nearby city of Caloocan, snarling through the chaotic but somehow systematic Manila traffic: loud, bumpy, and uniquely Filipino. When the team arrived at the work site, we wasted no time getting acquainted with the SNKI community homepartners and with the task at hand. We were assigned a variety of jobs over the course of 6-days: digging ditches, clearing garbage, passing concrete buckets, filling bags of sand and gravel, and laying concrete hollow blocks. It was tough, but it was exactly the kind of work we wanted. As it was the beginning of summer, the hot sun got the best of us at times. Luckily, the breaks were just as fun. They gave us not only some much-needed rest, but also a chance to try some authentic Filipino foods like fresh spring rolls and ripe mangoes picked from nearby trees. Afterwards, we winded down by playing with the neighbourhood kids, rain or shine. After applying a new coat of sunscreen, we went back and passed more concrete buckets while the kids called for our attention. When the work for the day was done, all sweaty and dusted with cement powder, the team headed back to the guesthouse, often arguing over who gets to use the shower first. We wasted no time cleaning up, and from there it was a cheap taxi ride to the mall for dinner.
As a majority Christian country, the Philippines observed the season of Holy Week, and on our first Thursday and Friday there we did not have to work. So we opted to visit the slums of Baseco on the other side of Manila where a few team members volunteered with Habitat for Humanity last year. The next day, we took a chartered jeepney to the countryside to witness a crucifixion re-enactment play that involved somebody actually getting nailed on a cross. It was definitely a sight to be seen.
On our last day, a community party was held where the kids of SNKI gathered to put on a show for us. We gladly joined in, even though we looked totally out of place. After that, we presented the community with some gifts (toys and new construction equipment), and after repeating goodbyes, headed back. It was a great way to wrap up our time there, and a testament to how amazing people can bond so quickly in a volunteer trip like this regardless of their background and economic status.
The first day of our R&R was spent at the Villa Escudero resort outside of Manila, where we went on a museum tour, ate lunch beside a man-made waterfall, and enjoyed the swimming pool. On our second day, we were originally scheduled to climb Mt. Taal, also outside of Manila, but the boat operators taking us there decided to take liberties with their prices when they saw a van full of foreigners, so we opted not to continue on. Instead, we just had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the volcano. The following day, we went on a three-hour van and boat ride to a beach in the nearby island of Mindoro. We stayed there until the next day, getting some much-needed rest and relaxing under the sun. The people at the resort we stayed in were extremely nice and hospitable, which is something we can say for most of the people we met in the country. For those looking to volunteer other than in the usual places like Thailand or India, give the Philippines another look.
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