Your generous donation helps to save and change lives every day.
Your charitable investment will go toward ongoing global relief to care for the underserved and vulnerable people of this community. As a member of this medical mission team, you will elevate the long-term impact of sustainable, capacity-building efforts that improve the health, wellness, and quality of life of those most in need.
Overview
The Need
The Philippines are made up of 7,107 islands and has an extremely diverse population. Many of these islands are home to remote villages and the Philippine healthcare system struggles to successfully deliver healthcare to many of these communities. Overall, the healthcare system in the Philippines is of high standard; however, services and quality varies widely between rural and urban areas. There is also a critical need for economical and dependable medical equipment, and gaps between the quality and quantity of health services exist between the poor and the rich. The Philippine healthcare system is decentralized, which leaves the local level to be primarily responsible for the delivery of healthcare services and public health initiatives. This can make it harder for the most vulnerable populations and the most rural to have reliable access to health education and health services.
In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan became one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. When Haiyan made landfall, it devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines. Haiyan is known as one of the deadliest Philippine typhoons on record. Reports estimate that it killed at least 6,300 people in the Philippines alone. The Philippines started to face a humanitarian crisis as millions of people became displaced in the aftermath of Haiyan with the destruction of homes and important infrastructure. This makes the population of the Philippines more vulnerable and susceptible to diseases due to the lack of food, clean water, shelter, and medication.
Please join IMR as we return for another trip to the Philippines, continuing to provide and assist new villages that need medical care and health education. Thanks to the special invitation that we received from the Philippine government, this trip will take us to remote island communities that have an especially difficult time accessing healthcare.
Our Work
International Medical Relief began working with the Philippine community in 2014 providing emergency disaster relief right after the devastating typhoon hit. Since 2014, we have been able to strengthen our relationship with the Philippines and continue to provide medical relief efforts. We have served nearly 10,000 patients through nearly 300 volunteers and staff. During our medical relief trips, we provide community health training, medical treatments, clinic operations, and clinic supplies. Our teams will continue to serve villages in the most rural areas of the Philippines and provide education and care where it is needed the most.
With diligent planning and preparation, IMR is dedicated to ensuring that specific goals are met on our missions, each in correlation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 17.
IMR works to elevate vulnerable populations through shoulder-to-shoulder care with our local partners, creating workforce density, and a cadre of future healthcare and public health leaders in association to UNSDG 3: Good Health & Wellbeing.
In correlation with UNSDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, our organization works in collaboration and at the request of local hosts where we are under their direct influence and affluence. IMR never goes into a country without a formal invitation where there is a great community need for medical or dental care, and health education.
This Mission
International Medical Relief is excited to venture to Davao City on the coast of Mindanao, one of the largest islands in the chain of 7,107 islands that make up the Philippines. Davao City is also the home to Mount Apo, one of the highest mountains in the archipelago. IMR has visited dozens of locations during more than 13 trips over the last six years, and we continue to reach villages and people that are in great need of medical care and health education. With special invitations from our in-country hosts and partners, IMR is committed to reaching more and more patients in need as we support the Philippines.
Lodging/Transportation
You will be working in and around Davao City on this trip. Your accommodations will be a comfortable hotel situated to give you plenty of opportunity to explore all the city has to offer.
Highlights
Your time in the Philippines on this trip will be spent caring for people who rarely get comprehensive care. You will have the opportunity to work alongside wonderful public health nurses. Your ground host is one of the top physicians in the Philippines with extensive disaster experience. Working side by side with these remarkable healthcare providers is certainly one of the many highlights of this trip.
Extend Your Stay
The Philippines is an amazing place to extend your stay! While most visitors to Asia go to Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, the Philippines offers something for every traveler, from hiking to surfing, malls to handicrafts, volcanoes to blue lagoons. An added bonus is that almost everyone speaks English, and the people are known to be some of the friendliest in the world. The Philippines has beautiful beaches, wonderful food, and some of the best surfing in the world. Allow IMR to help you plan a new adventure after your amazing adventure caring for villagers on Leyte through our partner, Worldwide Navigators!
- Discover Puerto Princesa, a coastal city on Palawan Island
- Venture to the Subterranean River National Park, a protected area of the Philippines
- Explore Honda Bay’s multiple stunning islands with white sand beaches
Click here to view the itinerary!
Ready for the adventure? Connect with Worldwide Navigators today!
Itinerary at a Glance
Arrivals & Orientation
Clinic
Clinic
Clinic
Clinic
Training / Free Day
Departures
Please View Full Itinerary in the Next Tab
Sustainable Impact
Your Journey
Weather
-
Average High and Low Temperature in Davao, Philippines ©WeatherSpark.com
-
Average Hourly Temperature in Davao, Philippines ©WeatherSpark.com
Clinic Photos
Gallery
Full Itinerary
This itinerary is subject to change without notice.
You will need to arrange your flight destination to be Davao International Airport (DVO). If you need assistance booking flights, please contact Worldwide Navigators, our preferred travel agency, at travel@worldwidenavigators.com. You may also choose to arrange transportation from the airport to your accommodation, which you may purchase from within your portal under Trip Add-Ons.
Arrivals & Orientation
Team members will arrive in Davao City throughout the day. Upon arrival, you will transfer to your hotel where you can check in and freshen up. You will enjoy a hearty dinner and attend the team orientation to prepare you for the upcoming week of clinic. Your team leader will assign roles for clinic, address IMR’s clinic protocols, and discuss the communities you will be serving in the surrounding areas.
Meals: Dinner,
Clinic
After a hearty breakfast that will include plenty of fresh local fruit – the spiky durian fruit grows everywhere! – you will head out for your first day of clinic You will see plenty of children during your days in clinic who will be anxious to learn from you and receive your care.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Clinic
You will find many children, their parents, and elderly patients waiting eagerly for you in the neighborhoods that you will visit. You may also have opportunities to go on house calls to visit patients who are unable to make it to clinic.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Clinic
You will likely see patients with pneumonia, ear infections, wounds, animal bites, and non-communicable diseases. During your clinic days, you will have the opportunity to work side by side with local doctors, nurses, and EMS personnel who are anxious to learn from you, as well as share their knowledge about medical care in the Philippines.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Clinic
One of the highlights of your week will be sharing knowledge through sustainable community education classes. Teaching your students to care for themselves and their families leads to healthier communities.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Training / Free Day
You and your team will provide training for local healthcare providers to continue IMR’s long-term, sustainable education efforts. Education is as important as medical and dental care for our patients. Each clinic includes basic health education according to the specialties and skills of the IMR volunteers, as well as the needs of the local people. When communities become empowered to take health and wellness issues into their own hands, they become self-sufficient. IMR provides learning opportunities for the local communities through classes and hands-on learning to sustain their well-being beyond our visit.
After training, the day is yours to take in some of the cultural wonders of Davao and Mindanao Island. Take a hike up Mount Apo, a boat ride to pristine Samal Island, or head off on foot to explore the city.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner,
Departures
Enjoy a final breakfast with your fellow team members before bidding farewell to the beautiful Philippines! If you think you might want to extend your stay, contact Worldwide Navigators for information on extensions and flight arrangements.
Meals: Breakfast,
Your Journey
Clinic Photos
Extensions
Minimum Donation
Your generous donation of $2400 will go toward the ongoing global relief to care for the underserved and vulnerable people of this community. As a member of this medical mission team, you will elevate the long-term impact of sustainable, capacity-building efforts that improve the health, wellness, and quality of life of those most in need. A small portion of your donation includes:
- Clinic supplies and medications for patients
- Clinic participation
- Transportation, accommodations, and meals as outlined in the itinerary
Donation Payment Deadlines
$2200 due by December 23, 2024
$2400 due by February 23, 2025
Early Bird Savings Opportunity
To be eligible, the participant must upload ALL your required documents and forms, sign their liability form and make your 50% donation including your $35 application fee by December 23, 2024. This savings opportunity does not apply to disaster relief missions.
Featured Enhancements
**To purchase any of the above Featured Enhancements for your mission, please contact our office at office@imrus.org or call at (970) 635-0110.
Your Donation to IMR for Your Mission Cost Includes:
All group costs from the time you arrive at the team meeting point in country until you separate from the team or when the team arrives at the departure airport, including:
- Transportation
- Lodging
- Costs associated with the clinic
- Food
- Tips for services provided to the IMR team
- All logistics, including translation services and security as needed
Additional Costs That You Are Responsible For:
All group costs from the time you arrive at the team meeting point in country until you separate from the team or when the team arrives at the departure airport, including:
- International and Domestic flights to the country.
- Passport fees, visa fees, and transit fees, including baggage or overnight accommodations/meals while in transit
- Required or recommended insurance
- Vaccinations and medications common for travel
- Spending money for souvenirs and personal purchases
- Required or desired mission supplies, personal equipment, or small gifts for the special people you meet
- Any lodging, meals, and transportation outside of the scheduled team mission, payable at the time of service to the local vendor
- COVID-related fees such as testing, vaccinations, and quarantines as required by in-country arrival/departure or USA arrival/departure
- Each team member is responsible for carrying medical supplies for the deployment. All fees associated with transport are the responsibility of the volunteer.
Financial FAQs
Prepare to Go
A Walk Through Clinic
Download the Team Guide
