Philippines

• 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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