Volunteer Programs in Tacloban City, Philippines
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26 Volunteer Programs in Tacloban City, Philippines
Volunteer for the Visayans
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Find out why it's more fun and meaningful to volunteer with us! Volunteer for the Visayans (VFV) provides a wide range of program choices for people wanting to Volunteer Abroad in the Philippines through our local community partners and our very own community centers. VFV endeavors to improve the qu
See All 11 ProgramsVolunteering Journeys
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Sign-up for our medical volunteering programs abroad if you are a medical or healthcare student who is aspiring for a medical career but needs real-time training and mentoring. You don’t necessarily have to have a medical degree, as requirements are different for each program. There are even pre-med
See All 3 ProgramsVolunteer World
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Volunteer in the Philippines and explore some almost undiscovered parts of this world! Prepare to find deserted islands with white sandy beaches and unique diving spots. Help to keep this environment intact and join a marine conservation project. Perfect for the passionate scuba divers out there!
See All 3 ProgramsRoots Interns
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Ready to nourish minds and bodies while making a tangible impact? Dive into the world of nutrition and discover the transformative power of food in shaping brighter, healthier futures. The commencement of a nutrition internship presents a rewarding opportunity to explore the intricate landscape o
See All 7 ProgramsKaya Responsible Travel
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Work on a sustainable community initiative that brings joy and makes a difference to children in our communities. Join Kaya on its Childcare Volunteering project in the Philippines, which aims to help disadvantaged children aged 3 to 6 years old develop their cognitive, physical, and social skills
Involvement Volunteers International
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Volunteer with IVI for an authentic, affordable, and life-changing experience in the Philippines. With over 35 years of experience as a registered charity and non-profit organization, we are deeply committed to supporting communities in need. The Philippines is a stunning archipelago of over 7,000
A Guide to Volunteering Abroad in Tacloban City
The History of Tacloban
While Tacloban is the capital city of Leyte and a more modern Visayan city, it faces the same social and environmental challenges that the rest of the Philippines face. Tacloban is a place where villagers come to visit a modern shopping mall or see a movie, it is a city where they can eat at one of the many delicious local restaurants like Ocho or international fast food establishments. Outside of these restaurants are street children, because public welfare programs are still limited and sometimes inefficient because social welfare offices are often influenced by politics.
Many villagers migrate to Tacloban in search of work only to find themselves squatters in already overcrowded and unhealthy neighborhoods. Educational challenges abound in Tacloban, as many children do not attend school for lack of uniforms and books or because they are needed to work alongside their parents to obtain enough income to sustain themselves daily. The recent and limited acceptance of birth control nationally has not found its way to many local villages or provinces, where women, on average, have over five children and typically live in single room native huts. Not to mention the fact that domestic violence, poor nutrition, and preventable illness also plague Tacloban City’s more than 200,000 residents.
The increasing strength of storms ravaging through the region have left Tacloban even more vulnerable, as a city that sits near sea level facing the ocean head on. Mudslides due to heavy rains or typhoons, compounded by tree clearing, have led to entire schools or villages being buried. Most notably, in November of 2013 Tacloban took the full force of the Super Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) with 300 km an hour winds and a 30 foot ocean storm surge. While much of the city shows signs of improvement, since the storm killed more than ten thousand people in the region, there are still signs of its devastation all around. Tent cities have popped up, along with substandard row houses developed by the local government with limited funding. There is still much to be done as part of the recovery of Tacloban City, including the emotional recovery of its’ residents who continue to grieve their losses as they try to put their lives back together.
Projects & Placements
Volunteer opportunities in Tacloban are plentiful, and currently, many volunteer placements surround typhoon recovery efforts. However, volunteering in Tacloban is not a new concept, as international volunteer work in Tacloban was established more than 20 years ago. Volunteering in Tacloban can be categorized by the following placement areas: working with children, community development, education, health education, and, to a lesser extent, environmental work.
Working with children primarily involved working with children experiencing unique needs, such as street children who are often not orphans but simply children of market workers. Opportunities to volunteer in orphanages in Tacloban are also common, although typically require more screening and a more long-term commitment from prospective volunteers. Some local nonprofit organizations also provide opportunities for volunteers to arrange after-school activities for children, such as dance lessons, or provide after-school tutorials for children in local community centers.
Community Development volunteering in Tacloban typically includes working with at risk populations or high-need communities, either alongside the Department of Social Welfare or through one of the NGOs located in Tacloban. Community projects include building homes, providing nutritional education or feedings, and developing programs for at-risk students.
Health Care and Education volunteer opportunities exist in communities in and around Tacloban City, in healthcare clinics, in Barangay (neighborhood) health centers, and through periodic medical missions. Medical volunteering in the Philippines is one of the most popular volunteer placements in the country, because it provides hands-on experience for pre-med students or undergraduates trying to decide what specialization they’d like to pursue in the field.
Teaching. Numerous rural schools remain in need of resources and educational support. Volunteers interested in teaching English or other subjects to primary school children will find plenty of volunteer opportunities in Tacloban. Luckily, English is the Philippines' second national language, so most students will know a good amount of English already, making connecting with students far easier.
Special Populations. There are also some very unique opportunities for volunteers in Tacloban working with unique populations. Volunteers can work to rehabilitate children, and their parents, who work in the local dump site. Dumpsites only exist near urban areas in the Philippines, and Tacloban has a significant dumpsite on the edge of the city. Children and their families live in the dump, near to all the diseases and dangers that accompany it, simply to make enough money recycling plastic to provide food for themselves daily.
Deaf educators also have the unique chance to work at a local school for the deaf, where Filipino Sign Language is similar enough to American Sign Language to communicate effectively with the students (deaf education instruction and materials in the Philippines originally came from the U.S.).
Those interested in business development or micro financing will also find a handful of opportunities to help women establish stable incomes to support their families.
Environmental Work. After Typhoon Haiyan, and other recent typhoons and natural disasters, there has been a greater emphasis on solving environmental issues before they become calamities. Tree planting, recycling of waste, and safer farming techniques are all more frequently invested in. There are still limited environmental projects for volunteers to get involved with, but sporadic programs are common.
Life in Tacloban
The people of Tacloban speak the dialect which is just one of the many dialects spoken throughout the Philippines, related to the national dialect, Tagalog or Filipino, only in shared Spanish and American vocabulary. Waray people have a real or mythical reputation for being independent, they were not conquered completely by the Spanish, Japanese, or Americans. Today, however, Waray people are extremely friendly, generous, and full of smiles. Since the major disaster in 2013, there has been a large influx of foreign relief workers, which has led to more internationalization of the city. The larger foreign population has been taken in gratefully but has also had effects on the economy of the city both positively and negatively.
Waray people like most Filipinos value family above all else. Fiestas are a time for eating and visiting with family and friends. Baptisms, funerals, weddings, the marketplace, mass, and almost every occasion is an excuse to eat and chat and maybe sing some karaoke. While most Tacloban residents speak Waray and Tagalog, slightly fewer speak confident English, though it is a language of instruction in public schools. Basketball is the national and local sport, every neighborhood has a court, if they don’t have a court someone has fashioned a homemade hoop to a tree or power pole. Big summer festivals include Pintados, which has been co-opted by the local government and includes parades, fiesta, food, and face painting.
It is said that 12 families rule the entire country, due to continued political power being kept within family trees. In the case of Tacloban, two of the fiercest political families live side by side though not always as neighbors and most definitely not as friends. The local ruling political family is the Romualdez family, which includes Tacloban City’s mayor, Alfred Romualdez, who is the nephew of former first lady Imelda Marcos (think shoes). The president of the Philippines, however, is Noynoy Aquino, son of the assassinated political opponent of Ferdinand Marcos, Ninoy Aquino. It is not a surprise that federal and local political disputes often revolve around these 12 families' long history of opposition, often negatively affecting the local people who remain largely removed from higher-level political decision-making.
Costs & Affordability
The Philippines, in general, is a very affordable destination for volunteering abroad. The island of Leyte is among the lowest-cost destinations within the Philippines as well, due to it being one of the poorest regions of the country and its lack of large-scale tourist attractions. The more local you go the cheaper it is. McDonalds has similar prices as everywhere else in the world, but a plate of chicken, rice, and veggies at a street stall won’t cost much more than a dollar.
Travel within the Philippines is also cheap, from ground transport to sea to air travel, such as flights on Cebu Pacific airlines. The more you pay for transportation the more comfortable, and possibly safe, you will be. But if you are willing to cram into a van with almost 20 other people you can get from the northern tip of Leyte to the southernmost point for under $5.
Accommodation & Visas
Most individuals who volunteer in Tacloban City live with homestays, which is often the highlight of volunteering in Tacloban. Homestays are very affordable for international volunteers and are often included in volunteer fees. Meals are usually provided in homestays, and although may be seen as modest by Western standards at times, are always authentic and made from scratch with love. In densely packed neighborhoods, where social life is formed around a plaza, and a basketball court. or a karaoke bar, social networks “in the real world” are very important as opposed to those formed online. Communities are close-knit and long-time neighbors are nearly synonymous with extended family.
Volunteers typically enter the Philippines on a tourist visa and are able to renew their visa locally at the immigration office in Tacloban for a small fee every 30 to 60 days.
Benefits & Challenges
The Philippines is an amazing country primarily because the people are so easygoing and generous. As they have demonstrated after the typhoon and demonstrate in their everyday life, the Filipino people are more resilient than most cultures around the world. Locals smile every day, regardless of their personal struggles.
Many volunteers experience culture shock when they begin volunteering in the Philippines, due to the everyday exposure to the hardship and poverty of many families, while others struggle to get accustomed to the simple, basic living conditions. Volunteers should ask themselves if they can live in a very hot, humid climate without air conditioning alongside people who are happy to live life simply without many luxuries before they begin volunteer work in the Philippines.
If you decide to volunteer in Tacloban, the Philippines will never leave you. You will always have a connection to the local culture, you will gravitate toward Filipinos in your home country, and you will feel a profound love and admiration for the incredible Filipino people.
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Latest Program Reviews
Volunteer in the healthcare and rural education in the Philippines with IVI
June 22, 2026by: Jasper L - United StatesProgram: Volunteer in the Philippines with IVI - Affordable Programs
My highlight was definitely getting to know the community and getting a glimpse of what the rural lifestyle is like. People were so grateful and delighted to see volunteers, and you can feel the impact you are having on the community. My highlight was spreading knowledge of what I learned in nursing school to less-experienced volunteers. The food and accommodation were so amazing. The staff was very accommodating and the sweetest.
Volunteering in El Nido- Teaching
April 30, 2026by: Marianne B - SwitzerlandProgram: Volunteer in the Philippines with IVI - Affordable Programs
I am very grateful to have participated in this project. I am returning from my assignment at the Philippine schools with somewhat mixed emotions, though the experience was deeply moving and rewarding in many ways. I was deeply impressed by the locals' positive mindset. The community welcomed me with smiles, and the students were grateful and respectful. Furthermore, I was enchanted by the beautiful surroundings at both locations. The stunning scenery, with its pristine beaches and palm trees, provided wonderful opportunities for swimming and relaxing after work. It was the perfect backdrop to unwind. A major highlight was the excellent support at the volunteer camp. The local team did an outstanding job, and I felt very comfortable and well-cared for. • Catering: The cook prepared truly delicious meals every day. • Maintenance: The cleaning staff kept the rooms spotless, and the gardens were always perfectly maintained. • Support: The coordinators and support staff were reliable, professional, and incredibly kind. Their efforts made the camp feel like a home away from home.
In Philippines (Tacloban)
August 28, 2025by: Daniela A - SpainProgram: Volunteer in the Philippines with IVI - Affordable Programs
At the clinic, I was taught different nursing techniques UNDER SUPERVISION (placing IV lines, vaccinating, suturing, taking vital signs...). This was truly useful when going to rural areas where access to hospitals does not exist. We mostly cared for newborns, children, and pregnant women. We also treated and gave talks on hypertension and diabetes, focusing on both treatment and PREVENTION. During this volunteer experience, I realized how important and crucial prevention is to avoid hospitals from collapsing. In terms of my training as a medical student, I learned and practiced as a family doctor UNDER SUPERVISION, dealing with respiratory problems (pneumonia, asthma...), lower-risk illnesses (fever, digestive issues...), medical check-ups, and minor injuries (animal bites, burns...). The Philippines was a constant journey of contradictions. It showed me that there is beauty in simplicity, resilience in poverty, and freedom in music. I feel that I leave a part of myself in that place, but at the same time, I have carried its essence with me in every moment lived, kept in the form of memories of a medical student. The food and the acommodation was perfect. The family I stayed with, the Villafuerte family and my local team, were my guides; they made me feel that the Philippines was a home even while being far from my own. I will always remember. Everything was perfect
Wow, what an amazing and heartfelt review! 🌟 It’s so inspiring to hear how much hands-on experience you gained under supervision, and how it’s shaped your perspective on the importance of prevention and community care. :))
Kindergarten English Teacher in Philippines
June 27, 2025by: Maelle L - BelgiumProgram: Volunteer in the Philippines with IVI - Affordable Programs
Is was great, the local team make sure that I had the veste expérience ever. While I was there we experienced some huge flooding so we helped the community to recover from it and it was a really strong experience. I never thought before in front of the class but I really enjoyed, the children were adorable The local team was really great !! Always nice and welcoming. The food also was really really good and the accommodation was perfect.
We’re thrilled to hear how positive your time was! Every volunteer leaves an impact, and it’s inspiring to see how much you got out of it as well.
I would want to help :)
June 19, 2025by: Paulina Ozga - PolandHello, my name is Paulina and I am from Poland. I would like to take an internship or or volunteering as I am finishing my Bachelor's Degree now in Dietetics. In July I am able to come and start cooperation :) I count on a positive response and thank you for taking the time to read :)
A lifetime experience
August 26, 2022by: Matilde Carvalho - PortugalBeing here across de globe, doing what I love the most, was by far the best experience of my life. Life support truly brought out a best part of me, and I am forever grateful for this opportunity. Hope I made some lives better! I think everyone should have an experience like this.. There is nothing like getting out of our comfort zone, exploring new places, meeting new people.... Discovering ourselves!! If you are reading this and you're still not sure about it.. just don't think twice and book it. Pura Vida, Matilde Carvalho, Portugal
Amazing healthcare experience with Life Support Ambulance!
July 29, 2022by: Stephanie De Lima - United StatesWonderful experience with Life Support Ambulance Services. Great medical office, educational and warm experience from start to finish. The staff was always helpful and kind. They ensured I had an understanding of the diagnosis and follow-up. I am so glad I chose Life Support with Maximo Nivel and would highly recommend to anyone!
Great experience!!
July 23, 2022by: CC Gooden - United StatesMy time volunteering abroad was absolutely amazing. It was so great to meet other volunteers and live with a host family. It was a great way to travel while also being able to get patient care experience and to help those who appreciate it.
The staff were like another family
November 13, 2019by: Sultan RizaveliEverything is great. I loved the clinic but wanted a more hands on experience and the staff did a great job by making my dreams come true. I actually got to educate children about dental health thanks to them :) The accommodation was great, but would be better if there was air conditions. Our rooms were always getting cleaned so that's great. The food was also very very good! I loved it so much. The transportation was easy to the clinic options to take ferry and bus and the transfer from the airport - house was nice and well organized. The staff is always there for you. I don't want to call them staff, more like family. The tours and excursions was so nice, the staff helps you with everything so its safe and well organized. I went out to cafes, walks, shopping and hanging out with friends as well as boat tours when I stayed in the country.
Palliative care day was amazing
November 09, 2019by: Katie BucukeyI was very satisfied with the program especially with teaching in cardiology. The NICU was very helpful. Learnt a lot and also the differences between healthcare systems. Palliative care day was amazing. I have no complaints with the accommodations and the food was delicious! Thank you. I also had no issues with the transport. The bus and uber to the site and home each day.
Eyeopening healthcare volunteer opportunity!
January 22, 2018by: Samantha Poehler - United StatesMy trip to India was so eyeopening. Being able to experience life in a developing country and see how much different it is from life in the United States was an amazing opportunity that I will never forget. While volunteering in a clinic located in the slums, I was able to check vitals and collect symptoms. While the language barrier was difficult, I was able to learn a lot from the local doctors and gain more patient care experience. I also got to travel in the afternoon and on the weekends, which was super nice because I definitely feel like I was able to make the most out of my trip to India. I was able to meet other volunteers and interact with the locals too, which was fun! I would definitely take another trip through IVHQ!
Thank you!!!
June 14, 2017by: Luka - ChinaMy 3-week stay at Sri Lanka has flown by in a blink of an eye, and the whole experience as made unforgettable thanks to you, my host family, Hirantha, Rakitha, nurses and doctors at Colombo East Base and the rest of the people I met along the journey. I really do appreciate your attentiveness ranging from hospital experience to the quality of meals I was receiving ( where, by the way, were superb). I am grateful to have received the opportunity to explore the Sri Lankan healthcare system considering the lack of qualifications from my side. The wonderful weekend trips to Yala, Mirissa, Galle, Sigoriga, and Kandy exposed me to the multitude of faces Sri Lanka has to offer - which, I realized upon travelling, was too many for my length of stay here. Maybe one day I will return to Sri Lanka again to further explore the beautiful country and maybe with skill sets that will truly make a positive impact by medical volunteering once again, thank you Charley, Hirantha Kasun and everybody here in Ceylon. Come visit Hong Kong/ Japan/ Norway/ Sweden!
It was amazing!
June 14, 2017by: ChloeThank you for having allowed us to live this unique experience who was very important to do for us during our studies. Your welcome and the welcome from the family was so great. You had an exceptional sense of hospitality. During the training we were able to discover a different health system and new procedure of care at the general hospital kalutara. It was very interesting for us. Thank you again for all that you had made for us. All the small attentions … *king coconuts, reserve of turtle, the local fruits, visit of kalutara and SIH card). Thank you everything, we keep an excellent memory of this training period. It was amazing! - Helene Gaullier, Chloe Fuirce, Pauline Baeard
Thank you!
June 14, 2017by: Alex - United StatesFirstly of course- THANK YOU! My time in Sri Lanka has been so much fun! From Hasun and his family being warm and welcoming to the ETU, surgical, and operating theater staff being friendly to the dun outings - everything has been pleasant and I’ll cherish it. I truly appreciate all the time and effort you put into planning my stay here. You locked me up from the hospital, gave my friend and I room and board, coordinated my home stay and hospital work, arranged mine and Luka’s outing to Jala National Park. The list goes on! Your hard work does not go unnoticed. I also appreciate the help of Hirantha, Rartltha, and Danushka and everything they did to help make my stay more comfortable. Kasun and his family were AMAZING! Absolutely irresistible! As was the food- Kasun can really cook! The nurses and staff were extremely welcoming. I even went out with a few of them of their day off! Overall it was a pleasant experience. I would overall recommend the hospital to nursing students or nurses who just graduated as i believe the medical placement will be much more beneficial. I am grateful I was able to explore your beautiful country. I hope to return again someday.
I am very very happy with everything
June 13, 2017by: Miriam HavetmannI must say I am very very happy with everything I am able to experience here. The hospital work is honestly amazing as in the nurses and doctors as very friendly and try to include me in what they are doing and are explaining as much as possible. I am also very happy with the family I am staying at since they are eternally welcoming and try to fulfill every wish I have. I am glad that they have a child approx. my age so that i don't feel as alone and I think it is very important to place the volunteer somewhere where they have company in their age group. The only thing I am a little sad about is that because Colombo is such a big city the family place is a bit outside everything so it is time consuming to go anywhere after work as I would love to expose a little more of Sri Lanka and see many many more different attractions. Still I am completely pleased with my volunteering experience. Through the family lifestyle I am actually exposed to the Sri Lankan culture and become a little familiar with the language. Therefore, once again a very big thank you. :)
We kept an excellent memory of this training period
June 13, 2017by: Juliette Cocmet - FranceWe would like to thank you for your kindness. It was a very good profound experience for us. We felt very lucky to have met all those people at the hospital. We have discovered an other way to care, another culture. The nurses have been benevolent, they surprise us to learn other procedures. It was very interesting for our future job. We felt useful and we have work with nurses with pleasure. The family is very nice, they are doing everything for us. We are so glad to have met them. We are going to miss the. Thank you for everything. We keep an excellent memory of this training period. - The french student nurses. Ludioine Loew Pinnert Mathilde Rostouan Sarah Couraillon Adeline Herr Camille Thion Juliette Cocmet
Thank you so much for this wonderful experience!
June 09, 2017by: Kpersti - NorwayThank you so much for this wonderful experience! Our stay in panadura has been wonderful and exciting. Without you we would not have been able to experience everything we have done. Eating at mango mango, going to get our uniforms, blue waters and the field clinic. We appreciate your kindness and hospitality :) Hope to see you again in Norway or Sri Lanka. - Kpersti Sundfor Tommerbakke, Lisa Vu, Mant Nilsen, Gina Kornelia Bruun Toruik, Svana Heimisditter Danbolt
People always smile back to me.
June 07, 2017by: Andreina PintoThe work place was good and the volunteers were well accepted. They trained us well and the volunteer was interesting, challenging, and important for me, but I only got feedback from one doctor who I was working with. Nurses and other doctors did not talk to me. Experiencing Sri Lanka as a volunteer, I want to explore new job in the field of agriculture. The best experiences I have had while volunteering there were people always smile back to me, I ate different fruits, I met Laurine (another volunteer), and I learned a new culture living with a family. The least enjoyable experiences that I had though were there was no AC at the house and hospital, and few people speak English at the hospital so it was hard to fit and learn more. I think Doctors need to take advantage of volunteers. We came to volunteer to "work" so I was hoping I was going to more helpful.
I recommend the program to students with clinical experience or new nursing graduates.
June 07, 2017by: Alex ChangWe were well accepted by the work place and we were trained enough to carry out our assignments. I find the volunteer work interesting, challenging and important in my career, but I haven't received a lot of feedback from the staffs, doctors and nurses of the hospital. It was nice to be able to practice some of my nursing skills, and the host family was very nice. The meals made by the host family were delicious and authentic, however, perhaps more fresh products. I recommend the program to students with clinical experience or new nursing graduates. Those groups of people would benefit the most. Experienced nursing don't learn anything new.
Generally very good
June 07, 2017by: Luka FjelddahlVolunteers were generally accepted but with some exceptions. We received enough training to carry out our assignments. The work was interesting and important but not really challenging for a pre-med student since I opted to observe more as I am under-qualified to carry out certain tools. We were not provided with sufficient feedback by those we work with. The weekend trips and conversing with the staffs at the hospital were the best experience I've had while volunteering. The Wi-Fi at the homestay is (was) a minor problem. Other than that, generally very good. Thank you, Charley and Hivanthi and host family for the amazing hospitality. It was great to explore Sri Lanka and learn many things at the hospital.
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