All of MMI’s work in the Philippines has taken place on the island of Palawan, a province of the Philippines that lies approximately 586 kilometres southwest of the country’s capital city, Manila. Palawan is composed of one main, long, and narrow island, plus a number of other smaller islands surrounding it. Most of the people of Palawan subsist as labourers or farmers, though some people work in limited industries, such as silicon mining and tourism.

In 1987, MMI’s  founders made their first missionary trip into Palawan with a team of Christian workers. Today, the Palawan Association of Bible Churches (PABC) - a network of churches planted by MMI continues the ministry led by Pastor Pancho Villa.

Evangelistic Campaigns

The work in Palawan started with a short- term missions team doing evangelistic campaigns. The work in the region continues to include preaching, film, and public worship events which are often the first encounter people have with the Gospel message. Many Palawan residents have come to faith in Christ though these campaigns, leading to numerous baptisms. 

Bible Training

MMI built Manna Bible College (MBC) in Palawan in 1989 to provide training for church leadership to Palawan residents who were coming to faith in Jesus as a result of MMI’s evangelistic campaigns.  The college has produced Pastors for all of MMI’s church plants in the region. Currently, due to MMI’s partnership with BILD International, the Bible training programs are being revamped.  Opportunities exist for Bible teachers to serve in this region by volunteering to teach classes at the college or help with the Annual Believers' Conference.

Annual PABC Believer’s Conference

Each spring, believers from PABC churches meet in a general conference, very often travelling long hours. 600-700 believers join together in praise, teaching, and learning, testifying to God’s faithfulness in their lives.  This is a wonderful, annual occasion for short term mission teams to minister to the needs of Christian brothers and sisters in Palawan.

Church Planting

MMI has now established a legacy of planting churches and Bible study groups in Palawan, with MMI initiated groups spread over a 200 km distance from Canipaan in the south to Apurawan in the north.  Through support from Christians in Canada, MMI has been able to fund the building of about 23 churches in Palawan and has sent short term missions teams to construct church buildings to house growing congregations. All of MMI’s church plants and Bible study groups are led by graduates of Manna Bible College. MMI supports its church plants in Palawan by contributing to PABC’s budget ensuring the needs of the churches and workers are met.

Manna Home for Children

In 1993 MMI established the Manna Home for Children in response to the many homeless and abandoned children in Palawan.  The home is led by Pastor Eras Abelong’s wife, Miriam Abelong, and it can house up to 45 abandoned children, providing them with a home, adult care, and Biblical teaching.

Today, the home has both a resident and non-resident program that includes support for children living at Manna Home for Children and others in the community from impoverished homes.  This new approach has allowed MMI to supply food, hygiene, health care, school fees, and clothing, not only for the child, but at times entire families. The children we assist through Manna Home for Children are also exposed to the Gospel through attending Sunday School and participating in church activities, making it an example of Manna’s emphasis on a holistic approach to  working with communities

Emergency Relief and Development

Over the years of ministry in Palawan, MMI has responded to the needs of the community as part of a holistic approach to evangelism and in response to emergencies as they arise.

In 2003, a powerful fire destroyed much of the woods in Southern Palawan. MMI set up a feeding program that operated over a 3–4 month season, helping to minimize the effect of the fire on the Imbu people of Palawan.  Periodically, MMI sends out short-term medical missions teams to Palawan to operate clinics that provide preventative hygiene education and address the health needs of the community.