Filipino Heritage Journeys

Next Gen: Philippines 
Exclusive for Adult Adoptees and Those Who Love Them
Dates: TBD

The Next Gen concept began with the Ties Program reflecting on our commitment to heritage journeys over the past 30 years. As more adoptees enter adulthood and start families of their own, we wanted to present a program that was uniquely tailored to their desires for staying connected with their birth country.

International adoptees are moving into and through adulthood, with a whole new set of needs: the need to experience their birth country at a different level, the need to connect to people they share their heritage with on an everyday level, the need to share their birth country with the people currently in their lives, and in many cases, the need to reconnect or try to connect with birth family. 

Who would Next Gen: Philippines be for?

  • Adult Filipino adoptees, traveling solo or accompanied by those who are part of their lives.
  • Spouses, friends, significant others, children of adoptees.
  • Parents, grandparents, siblings, extended family—all would be welcome.

What do you think?  Does this type of program interest you?  We invite you to complete our Next Gen Interest Form, designed to learn about your interests and what adult Filipino adoptees would like to see as part of Next Gen: Philippines. 

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Fun beyond imagination! Impact beyond words!
About Filipino Ties
 

  • Arrive in Manila, where Ties staff will meet you and provide transportation to the hotel. Filipino Ties families stay in moderate, clean hotels, where after a day out experiencing many new tastes, smells, sights and sounds, help families relax.
  • Gather for an orientation meeting, a chance to connect with the other families, and discuss the journey ahead.
  • Tour Manila and see Rizal Park, Intramuros and Fort Santiago.
  • Stroll along Manila Bay and yes, eat scrumptious Filipino cuisine.
  • Enjoy an afternoon with children living at The House of Refuge. Better come prepared with a song to share.
  • Learn about culture and lifestyle from specially chosen guides who will be open to sharing.
  • Bargain hunt at Greenhills Mall for traditional Filipino goods.
  • Take the bus to Tagatay City. Along the way visit a Jeepney factory and observe how these unique vehicles are constructed. Stop by Las Pinas Church to see one of the world’s finest old organs, completely made from bamboo.
  • Witness the beauty of Lake Taal, situated in the caldera, or depression, of Taal Volcano, one the world’s smallest active volcanoes
  • Free time, Connect & Chat for adoptees, and Talk Time for parents throughout the trip.

For most families, Manila will be the jumping off point for the “Centerpiece of your Adoption Homeland Journey.”

  • Meet Inter-Country Adoption Board and their staff.
  • Visit your child’s orphanage and meet caregivers.
  • If your adoption connections are elsewhere in The Philippines, The Ties Program will help with those arrangements too.

As families continue on their journey…

  • Filipino Ties Flagship Program families enjoy two nights at a resort on the sandy shores of Subic Bay.
  • Explore Las Casas de Acuzar, a living architectural museum celebrating the 18th and 19th centuries.
  • Interact with Aeta (an indigenous people) families in Pamaulaklakin village where you’ll enjoy a cooking demonstration and a tribal dance performance.
  • Experience a festive farewell dinner featuring traditional Filipino music and dance.

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  • Ties Program Features

    How to prepare, opportunities to process. YOUR NEED-TO-KNOW INFORMATION!

  • Possibilities for Adoption Visits

    Connect with people and places related to your adoption. SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE!

  • Related Services

    Flights, Connect & Chat, Staying Connected. LEARN MORE!

  • Financial Help

    Need financial help? Or would you like to help an adoptee make this important journey? OPTIONS & IDEAS!

  • Project Kindness

    Created especially so that Ties participants can help in the communities they have visited. BE INSPIRED!

  • Read & Learn

    Articles to help you on this journey of identity. DIVE DEEP INTO INFORMATION!

"A tremendous family experience and adventure, and the journey that filled the gap in our son's sense of self."

John Giudecessi

“For the first time in my life, I felt complete and at peace with who I am.”

Landy Hancock, 18

“Traveling with other kids was AWESOME!”

Anna Armour, 10

"I think the healthiest outcome of the trip for my daughter is that going with a group 'normalized' her situation and her adoption.”

Bonnie MacAdam

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