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Visiting Subic Bay Children's Home
If you have a burden for missions and want to help but don't know exactly what to do we encourage you to visit Subic Bay Children's Home. It will change your life. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR VISITING IN PERSON.
PS The kids love visitors.
Many people ask about visiting the home and want to know what to expect. This page is to answer most of the questions asked us on a regular basis.
Making Arrangements
To make arrangements to visit and be picked up at the Manila Airport call Assistant Director, Rodrigo Valbuena, at
Purchasing Plane Tickets
All information about Passports and Travel Visas will be on the "Tickets" page. TICKETS
When you arrive at the airport it will be a bit of a mad house. You will go to baggage then to customs. They used to be strict about what you brought in - checking your luggage and all, but that was a long time ago. It shouldn't take long to get through baggage claim and customs. It moves along pretty well but there will be a lot of people. Just move through as quickly as you can to baggage and jump in there and find yours and go straight to customs (Tie a colored ribbon on your bag to make it easily identifiable). At customs they have usually put their hand over the customs form and say "Nothing to Declare" without asking me and then send you on your way.
From Manila to Olongapo
It takes about three hours to get from the airport to the home. In Manila the traffic seems like it's always bad - a very busy place. If possible help with fuel expense while traveling back and forth to the airport. The home is on a very tight budget and visitors are coming more often than ever before.
Electrical Outlets
Be careful when plugging in anything electric because the receptacles there look the same whether 110V or 240V. Ask Rodrigo before you plug anything in especially something like a laptop.
A few select places do take credit cards. With some card companies you have to contact the company and activate your card for international use. You can take cash even though there is a chance it would be stolen but there are just not many places that take credit cards. Put your wallet in your front pocket and keep your hand on it when in crowded places like Olongapo Market and malls. Some of the street kids are pretty good at pickpocketing. As far as being paranoid about pickpocketing I would err on the side of caution and exercise a little paranoia.
Rodrigo can show where to go in Olongapo to get the best exchange rate for your cash.
The weather is hot and dry in March, April, May (summer). The rainy season runs from May to the first of December and there is a lot of it. From December to February the weather is mild and dryer. The children tell say it's very cold when the temperature is at 70 F (Haha). The temperature rarely goes below that. You can buy a cheap umbrella there and just leave it with here when you leave instead of taking it on the plane if you want. We can always use them. We don't wear shorts at the home and prefer others don't. Shirts must also be worn - men and women.
Don't drink it! We have bottled water so you don't have to bring water with you. DON'T buy the bottled water from the street vendors. They will find old bottles and fill them up and sell them. If you drink this water you will be hugging the toilet like it was your newlywed spouse. Also we have mango juice and coconut juice in a can which is very good.
I don't know how sensitive your stomach is but if you are particular about what you eat you may want to ask what you are eating before you eat it. We've eaten horse, chicken feet, snails, tilapia head, water buffalo, dried fish, and a sauce made of pulverized fermented/rotten shrimp. We cook with different spices so the food has its own taste - especially the shrimp sauce.
Vaccinations are not required. Malaria is not a terrible problem and we didn't take any meds for it. Brother Ted said he is religious about not having any standing water. He got malaria a few times in the early days and he said it was rough.
Check your overseas medical insurance coverage: Ask your medical insurance company if your policy applies overseas, and if it covers emergency expenses such as medical evacuation. If it does not, consider supplemental insurance.
One thing you might want to consider is getting international roaming on your cell phone. It is very expensive (about $4.00 a minute) but will be handy if you get stuck somewhere. Also before leaving home check with your service provider to get instructions on how to dial when in a foreign country.
If you think you need to communicate while there you can purchase a cheap phone in Olongapo and leave it there when you depart because it won't work in the United States - wrong frequency. One of the workers at the home could use the phone. You will just need to buy a sim card and load then you can communicate locally.
Where will you sleep?
Sleeping arrangements can be made for single people and married couples. Contact Rodrigo at the children's home to make arrangements. There are several different options as to where you will sleep. Don't be shy about asking. SBCH loves visitors.
Driving in the Philippines
Unless you are used to driving in the Philippines we suggest you don't. There are very few traffic lights, stop signs, street signs, etc. Driving is CRAZY! It is very easy to get lost unless you know your way around. The children's home is about 60 miles from Manila, but the trip takes 3 hours. Here's a video while riding with Boyet, the driver. Pay close attention to the end. "DRIVING"
Avoiding Jet-Lag and Travel Tips
Do exercise some patience when you get on the plane because it is ONE LONG TRIP. Traveling from the U.S. to Tokyo on average takes 13 hours - From Tokyo to Manila is another 4 hours. The drive from Manila to Olongapo takes another 3 hours. This is not counting time in layovers. The whole trip from start to finish will take around 27 hours. With most flights you will arrive at the home about 2-3 AM. Sleep until 6 AM and stay awake until bed time.
Planes are very noisy and if you have ear plugs or noise canceling headset you won't feel as tired at the end of the trip. Drink a lot of water and don't eat much food. The air is dry in planes and you tend to dehydrate plus most of that plane food stinks.
Here is a site with a lot of information on jet lag - "JET LAG"
Do You Need to Learn Tagalog?
You can get by without it but I would know these three words just in case:
1. Food - Kain (Ka-in)
2. Water - Tubig (Tu-big)
3. Bathroom - Banyo (Ban-yo)
Travelling From the South Asia Region
