Practical Information for visiting Philippines

The Philippines uses the peso (PHP). Cards work in malls, hotels and city restaurants; markets, jeepneys, tricycles, small islands and rural areas are cash.

ATMs are common in cities and scarce on smaller islands — withdraw before leaving for one. Per-transaction withdrawal limits and fees are low and high respectively, which adds up.

Tipping is not obligatory but is common and appreciated: rounding up, or around ten per cent where no service charge has been added.

Coverage for mobile networks is reasonable in cities and along main routes and unreliable on remote islands. Local SIMs are very cheap and sold everywhere including airports; registration requires identification.

Wi-fi is widespread but frequently slow. Domestic flights connect the island groups and are the practical way to cover distance; ferries serve shorter hops and are heavily weather-dependent.

Typhoons disrupt flights and ferries for days at a time, and building slack into an itinerary during the wet season is sensible rather than cautious.

The Philippines is generally safe for travelers in its major tourist areas, though the country has real regional variation in safety, and standard precautions matter more in some areas than others.

• Certain areas of Mindanao, particularly the Sulu Archipelago and some western/central interior areas, have a history of kidnapping and insurgent activity and carry genuine, well-documented travel advisories -- major cities like Davao are generally safe and heavily visited, but check current government advisories before traveling to Mindanao's more remote regions specifically.
• Typhoons are a serious, recurring natural hazard, particularly June-November -- monitor forecasts closely during this window, since a storm can disrupt travel with little notice and, in severe cases, pose real danger.
• Petty theft and scams are the most common issues in tourist areas -- keep bags zipped on crowded transport (jeepneys, ferries), and use registered taxis or rideshare apps rather than unmetered vehicles, especially from airports.
• Water safety: strong currents and sudden weather changes are a real risk around some islands -- check conditions with local operators before swimming or boat travel, particularly during typhoon season.
• Natural hazards: the Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, with active volcanoes (including Mayon and Taal) and frequent seismic activity -- follow official evacuation orders and closures without exception if visiting near an active volcano.
• Emergency number: 911 works nationwide and connects to police, fire, or medical services.

Hepatitis A and typhoid vaccinations are commonly recommended; Japanese encephalitis and rabies for longer or rural stays. Dengue is present year-round and is the most significant mosquito-borne risk; malaria occurs in limited rural areas.

Do not drink tap water. Bottled water is cheap and universal.

Medical facilities are good in Manila and Cebu and limited on smaller islands, where a serious problem means evacuation — insurance covering that is important, particularly for divers, given that the nearest recompression chamber may be an island away.

Sun and heat are intense; the sea is warm and currents around headlands can be strong.

Filipinos are generally informal and warm, but respect for elders is structural: po and opo in speech, and mano, touching an elder’s hand to your forehead, in families.

Dress modestly in churches. Avoid confrontation and public anger — losing composure causes loss of face on both sides and is counterproductive.

Drug offences carry extremely severe penalties and enforcement has at times been violent; this is not an area for any risk whatsoever.

Parts of western and central Mindanao carry standing travel advisories from many governments. Check your own government’s current advice rather than assuming the whole island is affected or that none of it is.

911 is the national emergency number and reaches police, fire and ambulance.

Response capability varies widely between Metro Manila and remote islands, and in practice private hospitals and your insurer are the faster route for medical emergencies.

Typhoon warnings are issued by the national weather service using a signal-number system; hotels and local authorities act on them, and visitors should too. During a major storm the correct behaviour is to stay put rather than travel.

For divers, know where the nearest recompression facility is before you dive; on many islands it is not close.