The Unitarian Universalist Partner Church Council &
The International Council of Unitarian Universalist Women present

Educational Exploration Of Women’s Livelihood Projects On Luzon And Negros Islands, The Philippines

January 30 - February 6, 2012
7 days / 8 nights $1,380/person double occupancy

ITINERARY

• Jan. -30  Arrive Manila. (Flights from US leave Jan 29 to arrive Jan. 30.) Taxi from Airport to Pearl Manila Hotel .  
• Jan. 31  Visit Metro Manila Congregations. Stay in the Pearl Manila Hotel. We will take vans to Bicutan, a suburb of Manila, and meet with Bob Guerrero and the UU Church of metropolitan Manila where women members specialize in microcredit projects. We will also visit Nelly Nacino successful woman  business owner featured in BBC documentary. Cultural show and dinner in the evening.
• Feb 1.  After traditional Philippine breakfast and a visit to the gardens near the hotel we will walk to Ayala Museum, where you will learn about the history of the Philippines. In the afternoon, a trip to Intramuros is particularly enlightening. The old town center of the Spanish colonial period has extraordinary Catholic churches and colonial architecture. Most notable of which is the San Agustin Church. This church, first built in 1571, is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site found in Manila. After exploring the Old Walled City, make your way to Rizal Park, where we will visit the monument of the country's national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.

• Feb 2. Fly to Dumaguete City on Negros Is. known as one of the most beautiful of Philippine cities, with a long boardwalk on the ocean and cafes and shops along the way. It is also home to what looks like a classic ivy league campus of Silliman University. We will visit the BUILD UU Philippines project. The mission of The Quimada Center  project is to provide safe, affordable dormitory style housing for up to 180 women students attending school in any of Dumaguete’s 4 Universities.  Many come from surrounding islands and need a safe place to live. Proceeds from the dormitory will help create a stable financial future for the UU Church of the Philippines, Inc.
• Feb. 3 Travel south to Dauin, where we will visit an environmentally friendly bamboo factory, run by the NGO, Buglas Bamboo Institute, whose purpose is to provide a sustainable livelihood for the bamboo farmers as well as the factory workers. Their products, which include houses made of bamboo, have won awards for their superior quality and design and have focused a spotlight on bamboo and its diverse uses. We will spend the night at the lovely seaside resort where all of the furniture comes from the factory. This is a world-renowned diving location. Optional dive tours can be arranged for individually.

• For Feb 4, we will proceed to Bayawan City and spend the evening there. On the way to Bayawan, we'll stop in Caican, a partner church, for an hour to see BINHI livelihood projects there. Next we will visit Banaybanay  and the newly organized community-based health program of Buhata Pinay. Here we will present to the community the medical equipment brought by the travlers as part of their contribution to the success of this program.
• Feb. 5 Return to Dumaguete. Visit to UU Church of the Philippines headquarters. Overnight at Southsea Resort in Dumaguete. Dinner on the waterfront in Dumaguete.
• Feb. 6 ICUUW Conference “Transforming Women’s Lives through Livelihood Opportunities.” Cost of one day conference included in package price.