The cost of this trip for each volunteer is tax deductible donation of TBD. We expect the volunteer fee to be less than $1000.00. You will be notified of the final cost as soon as possible. Volunteers are also responsible for purchasing their international airfare to Masbate City (MBT).
About the trip: GFR has been invited for the 3rd time to provide primary health care and midwifery care (dental TBD) in Masbate Province, Philippines. Masbate is the 8th poorest province in the Philippines and Batuan is a 4th Class Municipality. The primary occupations are fishing and farming. Our local partners live in Batuan for 6 months of the year and their large family has been residents in the area for generations.
Health education is primary for sustainability in Batuan for the very youngest to the very oldest patients. In addition to general care, we will focus on providing reading and prescription glasses to our older patients. Our Midwives will also provide a great deal of education around pregnancy, delivery, and neonatal health to licensed Midwives, student Midwives, and families, in addition to prenatal care and well care.
Sustainability: Sustainability is primary to GFR and in the Philippines, we are seeing the local health centers take on much of the responsibility of outreach clinics! GFR will continue to work with the local health care authorities to continue building on this model. Our focus will remain on health education, identifying patients needing follow-up care, and on maternal and neonatal/infant mortality reduction on this trip. Many maternal and infant deaths occur on the island because families lack the funds, can’t find transportation, or simply wait to long. Educating certified and volunteer midwives and educating families about how to care for acutely ill children will help to improve outcomes. Our local partner will ensure the continuity of our work.
GFR has a long history of building and repairing schools, clinics, and community centers in areas where we provide care, as well as placing permanent drinking water treatment facilities in communities that have great need. Since 2022, we have built schools, clinics, community centers and refurbished orphanages. We have placed more than 10 permanent water purification systems in India, Uganda, Peru, and Zambia. In 2025 and 2026 we continue to build community centers and are placing 4 more water treatment facilities, always partnering directly with the communities where we work.
About the trip: On this trip we partner directly with a local NGO and the local Ministry of Health, working together to provide the services that people need. We will provide medical, midwifery, and optometry on this trip. Our local partners will follow the camp with a separate dental camp, a big step forward in sustainability.
Food, lodging, and transportation are excellent on this trip. Surrounded by beaches, you will eat breakfast on the ocean, and your hotel will give you great sunrises and sunsets in addition to beachfront. The hotel has a great gathering spot for our team and all the rooms are air conditioned. All transportation is my motorbike although there will be a few seats in the supply van.
Our translators are excellent. They are top notch nursing/midwifery students and they will stay with us at the hotel along with their teachers. This is an amazing opportunity for you to teach – and for them to teach you!
On our day off, our host will provide a full day excursion to one of the most beautiful islands in the Philippines with snorkeling, a traditional feast, and a day to relax and recharge. The crystal clear water holds gorgeous starfish, sea urchins, fish, and more for your viewing pleasure. Snorkel masks are provided but feel free to bring your own if you are so inclined. This is included in your fee to GFR. If you choose to rest for the day, the hotel is right on the beach and the views are lovely.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PHYSICAL CONDITIONS: You will be expected to walk on uneven footing and walk on narrow ramps up and down for entry to the boats, carrying your gear. While our support team will help you, you need to understand that this is a requirement for this trip. Our team will travel to clinics each day by either boat or motorbike. A van will be available if you don’t want to ride on the back of a motorbike. Our motorbike drivers are safe, trusted family members of our host and will take the utmost care. If you are not able to walk relatively long distances on sand and uneven ground carrying gear, or navigate narrow and steep boat ramps, please do not apply for this trip.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR PHYSICIANS, DENTISTS, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, NURSE PRACTITIONERS, MIDWIVES: You are required to submit the following documents by November 1, 2026. These documents are REQUIRED by the government of the Philippines and must be APOSTILLE certified by the Secretary of State where your documents are issued. Your current Medical License, Board Certification, Certificate of Good Standing, copy of the information page of your passport, and 2 passport-like photos are required for approval by the Philippines for you to practice. It is your responsibility to complete the paperwork and to send it to the Philippines for approval.
Arrivals and Departures for the Medical/Dental Team: This trip starts and ends in Masbate City (airport code: MBT). The airport is on the main island of Masbate but your team will work in the township of Batuan, on the nearby Island of Ticao. As of March, 2026 we recommend flying to Cebu and into Masbate City. You can fly into Manila but there is no non-stop to Masbate City and you will need to take a flight with a stop in Cebu. The choice is yours when you book your flights. When you are notified that you can buy your airline tickets, we will confirm the best route. You will take a ferry from Masbate City to Ticao with the team on the official start date of the trip. Your hotel and food are “on your own” prior to the official start date of the trip. You are responsible for booking your own travel to and from Masbate City (MBT). Please ensure you have plenty of time for late or missed flights.
Please note: You will incur an additional expenses for a guide and additional ferry costs if you miss the arrival day and time in Masbate City. This information is subject to changes by the airline and the ferry line.
What’s Included: This trip includes lodging, transportation, translators, water, and most meals within the official dates of the trip (February 20 – 27) starting and ending in Masbate City). Most clinic supplies and any special projects are covered by GFR.
What’s Not Included: Your international and local airfare, snacks and drinks other than water, personal vaccines, and pre/post trip travel costs and expenses, expenses incurred for required paperwork for licensure in the Philippines, trip insurance, transportation to and from the Manila airport to the domestic terminal, and any post-trip adventures you wish to engage in while in the Philippines. US Citizens may travel to the Philippines for up to 30 days without a visa. Other nationalities should be researched accordingly.
Cost: The cost of this trip is appx. $1000.00 per person plus airfare. You will be notified of the exact cost in late 2026. You are responsible for purchasing airfare that meets the required arrival and departure times. We always suggest giving yourself extra time for delayed or canceled flights and that you purchase trip insurance from a reputable carrier. This trip is tax deductible to the full extent of the law. You or your donors will receive a tax receipt upon making a donation. Please note: All donations made on your behalf through the application system or the Global First Responder website are non-refundable to you. Any funds that you or your donors donate will be 100% utilized for patient care or projects directly benefiting our partner communities.
How is your cost calculated?: At Global First Responder we strive to keep your costs low and our quality high. We value your participation and willingness to volunteer your time and expertise. Everyone at Global First Responder is also a volunteer, donating their time to administrative tasks and paying their own way to participate in medical and construction missions around the world and here at home. The fee you pay covers the actual cost of your expenses in country including lodging, transportation, meals, and translator fees and expenses and a small fee (<$150.00) for a share of medications and supplies so we can continue to offer high quality care and medications to our patients. At GFR, no one is paid a salary, and everyone is a passionate volunteer, doing our part to help drive our mission of “One Global World, One Global Family”.
After the trip: There is so much to do in the Philippines that it is hard for us to choose what to highlight for you! In Masbate Province, the natural beauty of the area is unparalleled, with beautiful white sand beaches, sandbars, and rolling green hills. The Manta Bowl Shoal is a top dive location for whale sharks and mantas, and San Miguel Island is renowned for its untouched corals and varied macro life. Consider staying on Ticao for a few days – the island is absolutely beautiful! It is a diver’s paradise, a hiker’s paradise, and a fisherman’s paradise. If you want to dive, we’ll put you in contact with our host for some world-class diving! If you prefer city life, spend some time in Manila or Cebu via a stopover on your way home! February is peak time to see the whale sharks of Cebu so consider spending an extra day to see or swim with these extraordinary filter-feeding sharks.
Before you apply for any GFR trip, please click on the link below and read about GFR’s philosophy for successful teams and trips: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GFR TRIPS
Click here to apply for this trip: I want to join the Batuan, Philippines team!
If this is your first time applying in our application system, please create AND SAVE a login and password. You may use this login and password for all future trips you apply for (and we hope to see you on LOTS of GFR trips!!) and you will need it to complete certain requirements of our trips.
To learn more about costs and fundraising, click on this link: Costs and Fundraising Options at GFR
Sample Itinerary:
PRIOR TO February 20, 2027: The trip will officially start on the morning of February 20, 2027l. At the present time (March 2026) you should plan to arrive in Cebu (airport code: CEB) for the flight to Masbate City early morning on Feb. 21, 2027. We highly recommend arriving in Cebu on before Feb. 20 to catch your follow-on flight to Masbate City. Hotels and meals are “on your own” prior to the team’s arrival in Masbate City – please make your own hotel reservations in Cebu or Masbate City (you will know the recommended hotel in Masbate City well in advance). Arriving a day or two ahead is a great way to rest up from your long flight, explore Cebu, and find and meet your new teammates!
February 20, 2027: Transfer from Cebu to Masbate City to Batuan,Ticao. Following your early flight to Masbate City, there will be a morning team meeting after breakfast and a 45 minute ferry ride to Ticao Island. Upon arrival in Batuan, your team will come together to organize supplies and get ready for the week. There will be some team building during the day and you wil be checked into the host resort for some down time. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are included. Transportation by ferry, motorbike, chariot, and van.
February 21 – 23, 2027: Your team will hold clinic for the next 3 days. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included. Transportation by motorbike, van, and boat.
February 24, 2027: Today is your rest day! The activities are “on your own” and we are still working a group activity for 2027. The 2025 team had a full day of snorkeling on a beautiful, small beach after a fantastic boat ride and swimming under a waterfall. You can snorkel and feast on a fabulous local bar-b-que, set up by our amazing hosts. If you prefer, you can set up hiking, diving, or simply rest on your own. Breakfast and dinner are included. Lunch is included if you join the team at snorkeling. Transportation by foot and boat.
February 25 – 26, 2027: The next 2 days are clinic days. You are recharged and ready to work! Plans are tentative right now but we anticipate returning to Masbate City on the morning of February 27 for flights home later that evening. We will confirm this plan here and to all applicants in late 2026. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are included.
February 27, 2027: Again – this is tentative! Today is the departure day for the team from Masbate City to Cebu or Manila. Saying goodbye to your team will be hard! We hope you will stay longer in The Philippines – natural beauty, diving, waterfalls, and the city of Manila and its rich and long history await! See the after the trip section for more information. Breakfast is included today. You can plan to fly internationally in the late afternoon/evening or stay longer to see more islands!