English (US) ▾
Nederlands
English (UK)
Deutsch
Italiano
Português
Español
Rural Medical Volunteering in the Philippines
Participate in rural medical volunteering in Philippines and do your bit for the healthcare of the locals from underserved communities. As a volunteer you will get a wonderful opportunity to help and assist in under funded clinics based in rural areas outside Tacloban city.
This program places you in a rural health clinic outside Tacloban City, on the island of Leyte, where you assist the local doctor, nurse and midwives with day-to-day patient care. Depending on your qualification, you may help take patient information and vitals, support consultations, assist with immunization and prenatal checks, join village visits to local barangays, and take part in the Annual Medical Mission or child health check-ups. It suits pre-med, medical, nursing and midwifery students as well as qualified doctors, nurses and midwives who want hands-on clinical exposure in an under-resourced government clinic.
Placements run 2–24 weeks, with starts every week (sundays), next start 27 Sep 2026. You live with a Filipino host family in the Tacloban area, in a private or shared room, and are served breakfast and dinner with them (lunch is on you). Prices start at $1,139, deposit included. What makes this program distinct is the direct clinical exposure: the clinic's birthing unit runs around the clock for normal deliveries, and qualified volunteers can be involved in consultations and deliveries under supervision, not just observation.
- Participate in rural medical volunteer in Tacloban, Philippines and do your bit for the healthcare of the locals from underserved communities
- Work in under-funded clinics based in the rural areas outside Tacloban City
- Engage deeply with the rural communities and leave a positive impact on their lives
- Medical Volunteers can make a significant impact in the lives of the locals by working at the clinic and providing free medical services to them
- Responsibilities include assisting the local doctor with daily consultations, helping with the local government based initiatives such as vaccinations or deworming, visiting local barangays during community clinic consultations, conducting workshops (depending on the experience)
- Take part in the Annual Medical Mission or Annual Medical Check-up for all children enrolled under various social development projects
Your role on this program
- Assist the local doctor with daily consultations
- Take patient information and vitals
- Help with local government initiatives such as vaccinations or deworming
- Visit local barangays during community clinic consultations
- Assist with prenatal checks under supervision
- Assist in birth procedures and deliveries alongside the doctor and midwives
- Give brief health lectures or distribute health brochures during village visits
- Conduct workshops or capacity-building sessions, depending on your experience
- Take part in the Annual Medical Mission or Annual Medical Check-up for children in local social development projects
Exact duties vary with the placement's needs, the season and your experience.
Role boundaries
You observe, shadow and assist the clinic's doctor, nurse and midwives, and your role depends on your qualification, training and the placement's needs at the time. You do not diagnose, prescribe, administer medication or injections, or make clinical decisions on your own; where the source confirms it, already-qualified and registered doctors, nurses or midwives may take on more direct clinical tasks such as consultations or assisting deliveries, but only within their own registration and under the supervising local clinician.
A typical day and week
A typical volunteer schedule under this program is as follows;
-
Saturday/Sunday – Arrival
-
Monday – Orientation. An orientation session will be conducted by the local coordinator, covering topic areas; such as safety, culture, language, places to visit, behavior, food, and other suggestions over things to do in the Philippines
-
Monday to Friday – Volunteer Work
Breakfast – 6:00 am
Volunteer work – 08:00 am to 12:00 noon generally
Lunch – Post working hours at the project (volunteers need to arrange lunch at own cost. They can choose to go home and cook for lunch or can buy a meal at any of the nearest food joints.)
Dinner – 06:00 pm onwards -
Weekends – Free to explore the city
The same volunteer work schedule continues from the second week onwards
Note: Please note, the schedule may vary depending on the particular project the volunteer is participating on.
Timings are the placement's usual pattern; the local team confirms your hours at orientation, and they can change with school terms, clinic rotas, weather and the project's needs.
Who can join and what you need
- Minimum age 18
- Minimum participation of 2
- Clean criminal background check report, issued within 12 months of the start date
- CV and a copy of your passport
- Documents or credentials showing your medical, nursing, midwifery or pre-med/CNA qualification or student status
- Professional attire required at the clinic
- Travel and medical insurance (your own policy or the one arranged by Volunteering Solutions)
- A flexible, open-minded attitude toward working in a new and resource-limited setting
The placement, its limits and your part in it
You are placed at a government-run rural health clinic like Sta Fe Rural Health Clinic, a walk-in free clinic serving the local community, typically staffed by a public health doctor, a public health nurse, a visiting dentist and a few midwives. The clinic runs general consultations on weekdays and keeps its birthing unit open around the clock for normal deliveries, referring any case needing a caesarean section to the nearest public hospital.
Volunteers work alongside this local staff at all times, and what you are asked to do is matched to your qualification and the clinic's needs on a given day: a medical student mostly shadows and assists, while a qualified doctor may consult patients directly, supported by a nurse who translates, within their own registration and under the local doctor's oversight. Your contribution is additional hands and, where you are already qualified, additional clinical capacity in a clinic that is often short-staffed; it does not replace the local team's ownership of patient care.
Start dates
Weekly start dates, year-round — pick any week across the next two years.
Program fees by duration
Prices include your $249 booking deposit — which is deducted from your total program fee. Your deposit stays valid for one year, during which you may enroll in multiple programs. A 5% international banking fee applies to credit-card payments in USD or AUD.
| Duration | Total price | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 weeks | $1,139 | |
| 3 weeks | $1,289 | |
| 4 weeks | $1,439 | |
| 5 weeks | $1,589 | |
| 6 weeks | $1,739 | |
| 7 weeks | $1,889 | |
| 8 weeks | $2,039 | |
| Each additional week | +$200 / week |
Indicative conversion — your booking is charged in the currency you choose at checkout.
✓ What you're paying for
- Airport Pickup and Drop Off
- Welcome Orientation – Program Orientation
City Tour & Placement Orientation - Accommodation in a Filipino Host Family
- 2 Meals a Day
- Detailed Pre Departure Info Pack
- Project Placement
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from in country staff
- Travel and Medical Insurance (Available at an extra cost)
- Certificate of Participation(On Request)
Not included
-
- Visa
- Vaccinations
- Flights
- Local Transportation
- Personal Expenses
Accommodation & meals
Airport Transfer
Volunteers are picked up from and dropped off at Tacloban Airport by a local representative staff member. Volunteers can arrive on Saturday or Sunday before starting their orientation on Monday.
Orientation
Orientation takes place on the Monday and includes comprehensive coverage of a number of relevant topics. It is given by a qualified staff member of the local team. Orientation includes the following activities:
-
-
-
Introduction to the program, its history, structure, and organization
-
Introduction to the Philippines and the Filipino Culture
-
What to expect from the Volunteer Program
-
Health and Safety Briefing
-
Behavior Policy Briefing
-
Introduction to the actual placement, with special attention to transportation
-
Introduction to the placement staff and volunteers
-
-
Accommodation
Volunteers will live with homestay families residing in the Tacloban area. The homestays have been thoroughly evaluated before they were accepted into our homestay program. are experienced in accommodating international volunteers. Prior to your arrival, you will receive a profile outlining the specifics of your homestay family.
Your homestay will welcome you into their home and treat you as a member of the family. By living with them, you will be able to experience Filipino culture and participate in their daily activities. You will eat the same food they are eating, though your homestay family knows what foreigners like to eat. If you have special dietary requirements, it is best to inform us beforehand so we can meet your needs. You will be served only two meals per day, breakfast and dinner. Your homestay will also provide you with filtered drinking water, as it is best not to drink tap water. All the homestays have electricity and running water. You will have a private room by yourself or shared with a fellow volunteer. You also are provided a mosquito net and electric fan. The bathroom or toilet, commonly called “comfort room or CR” will be shared with all the family members.
Bathroom accommodation is basic and the volunteer will take cold, bucket baths because hot running showers are uncommon in Filipino homes – don’t worry too much about this as cold bucket baths are often refreshing after being in the tropical heat all day. Finally, volunteers will also have to get used to the sound of roosters crowing even before the break of dawn.
Meals
During your time as a volunteer, you will be provided with two meals a day (breakfast and dinner) by your homestay. Aside from this, access to safe drinking water will also be provided by your homestay. All meals will be served with rice and typically include fish, chicken or pork. Homestays can cater for special dietary restrictions, however, we require that you include this in the application form.
During your Free Time
The local coordinating team in the Philippines arranges for the volunteers to go on two excursions. On one of the trips, volunteers visit the local areas of interest such as San Juanico Bridge, the Santo Nino Shrine and the MacArthur Landing Memorial Park. Volunteers will get an opportunity to experience the natural beauty of the tropical island of Leyte.
Life on the program
Getting there and who looks after you in Philippines
Airport pickup
You fly into Tacloban Airport (TAC), usually via Manila or Cebu, and are met by a local representative for pickup and transfer to your homestay. Arrival is set for the Saturday or Sunday before your Monday orientation.
First night with your host family
You settle into your homestay in the Tacloban area, in a private or shared room with a mosquito net and fan, and receive your homestay family's profile in advance.
Monday orientation
A qualified member of the local team runs a full-day orientation covering the program structure, Filipino culture, health and safety, behavior policy, and an introduction to your placement, staff and transportation, plus a city tour.
First day at the clinic
From Tuesday you begin work at the clinic alongside the doctor, nurse and midwives, following the same Monday-to-Friday schedule that continues through your placement.
Ongoing daily support
The local team provides a 24-hour emergency contact throughout your placement in case you need assistance.
From volunteers in Philippines
Frequently asked questions
What do I actually do day to day on this program?
Depending on your qualification, you assist the local doctor with consultations, take patient vitals, help with vaccinations or deworming initiatives, join village visits to local barangays, and may assist with prenatal checks or birth procedures under supervision.
Who is this program suitable for?
Pre-med, medical, nursing and midwifery students, CNAs, and qualified nurses, midwives or doctors aged 18 or older can join, with tasks matched to your training and the clinic's needs.
What are the working hours?
Volunteer work generally runs Monday to Friday, 8am-12pm, extending into the afternoon on days with village visits; weekends are free.
How long can I volunteer and when do placements start?
Placements run 2–24 weeks, with new starts every week (sundays); the next start date is 27 Sep 2026.
What does the program cost and what is included?
Prices start at $1,139, deposit included, and cover airport pickup and drop-off, orientation, homestay accommodation, two meals a day, project placement, a pre-departure info pack, and 24-hour in-country support; flights, visa, vaccinations, local transportation and personal expenses are not included.
Where do I live and what meals are provided?
You live with a Filipino host family in the Tacloban area, in a private or shared room with a mosquito net and fan, and are served breakfast and dinner with the family; lunch is arranged and paid for separately.
How do I get from the airport to my accommodation?
A local representative picks you up at Tacloban Airport (TAC) and takes you to your homestay; you can arrive on the Saturday or Sunday before your Monday orientation.
What support is available if something goes wrong?
The local team gives you a 24-hour emergency contact throughout your stay, alongside the orientation and ongoing placement support they provide.
Do I need a visa, vaccinations or insurance?
Visa and vaccination requirements are not covered here and guidance is sent in your pre-departure information pack; travel and medical insurance is compulsory, either your own policy or the one Volunteering Solutions can arrange.
Is a background check required?
Yes, as this placement involves patients including children, you must provide a clean criminal background check report issued within 12 months of your start date, along with your CV and a passport copy.
Will I be delivering babies or performing procedures myself?
No, you observe, shadow and assist the doctor and midwives during births and procedures under direct supervision; only already-qualified and registered professionals may take on more direct clinical tasks, within their own registration and under the supervising clinician.
Can I change my dates or destination after booking?
Yes, you can change your program, dates or destination free of charge up to 45 days before your start date.
Related pages
Schedule a meeting with a program advisor
We're here to help — a 20-minute one-on-one with detailed info, expert advice and application guidance.
Book a free meetingMore projects in Philippines
Public Health Nutrition Volunteer in Philippines
Volunteer at the Nutrition Project to help the organization address nutritional issues among the children of the Child…
Volunteer Teaching in the Philippines
As a volunteer in the teaching program in Philippines you can get involved with education to help enhance…
Childcare and Social Welfare Program in the Philippines
Volunteer with local childcare centers and social welfare projects and take care of children from underserved communities in…