Philippines Travel Information

The 7000-odd islands that comprise the Philippines are the forgotten islands of southeast Asia. Off the main overland route and with a recent history of martial law and endemic corruption, the country has struggled to attract tourists in the numbers many of its southeast Asian neighbors have.

However, most of the Philippines is laidback, stable and relatively safe. The locals are, by and large, an exceptionally friendly and helpful bunch. On top of this, transport is cheap, the food is good, accommodation is plentiful and (for the monolinguistic) English is widely spoken.

Full country name: Republic of the Philippines

Area: 299,000 sq km

Population: 84.61 million

Capital City : Manila (pop: 10 million)

People: Predominantly descendants of Malays, Chinese and Muslim minorities and a number of mestizos (Filipino-Spanish or Filipino-Americans)

Language: Filipino (Tagalog), English

Religion: 82% Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 3% Buddhist

Government: republic

GDP: US$310 billion

GDP per capita: US$3,700

Major Industries: Electronic and electrical products, textiles

Major Trading Partners: USA , Japan , Taiwan

U. S. Embassy:

Consular Section
U.S. Embassy
1201 Roxas Boulevard
Manila , Philippines 1000
Tel: (632) 528-6300 extension 2555, 2246
Fax : (632) 522-3242

Business Hours

Most businesses are open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM weekdays and 9:00 AM till noon Saturdays.

Banks are open from 9:00 AM till 3:00 PM Monday through Friday. When banking in the Philippines , it is advisable to have your passport with you for identification.

The post offices are open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM weekdays only. Local postage is P4 for a standard letter and P16 for letters to America and Europe. Stamps for postcards are frequently available from the Concierge Desk at most major hotels. The Philippines uses ZIP codes, please include them in addressing local mail.

NOTE: The Standard lunch hour is noon to 12:00 to 1:00 PM. Almost all businesses and government offices are closed.

Clothing

People in the Philippines dress for the weather (HOT!) Casual attire during the day for women is light blouses and shorts. For men collared T-shirts worn over slacks. In the evening skirts are substituted for shorts and the T-shirts are tucked in.

For Men: If you expect to have to attend any occasions which would usually require a jacket and tie (which is torture in this weather) there is a wonderful substitute. Go immediately to a department store and buy a barong tagalog. It is an embroidered shirt that is considered formal dress it will cost about Php 1,000, but it is worth every centavo.   

Currency

Philippines Peso

Currency and Banking

The currency in the Philippines is the Centavo and the Peso (P). 100 centavos = P1. Coin denominations are 25 and 50 centavos, P1 and P5. Bill denominations are 5, 10 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 pesos.

Foreign currency may be exchanged at your hotel, most large department stores, banks and authorized money changing shops. Exchanging money anywhere else is illegal and the laws are strictly enforced.

Most large stores, restaurants, hotels and resorts accept major credit cards including American Express, Visa and MasterCard. Travelers' s checks preferably American Express is accepted at hotels and large department stores. Personal checks drawn on foreign banks are generally not accepted.

The US dollar is the most recognized currency in the Philippines, and is often easier (and cheaper) to change than travelers' checks. Large denomination US bills will get you a particularly good rate, but only clean banknotes are acceptable. ATMs are all over the place, particularly in the big cities, and they operate 24 hours daily. You can use MasterCard and Visa in them.

Dialing Code: 63

Departure Tax

Philippine airport departure tax is P$750 (payable in US$ at the current exchange rate – about US$19.00 at this time) for international flights. There is a P$200 departure tax at the Domestic Airport in Manila and at Philippine Airlines' NAIA Centennial Terminal Two. Many provincial domestic airports served by SEAIR have a small departure tax, usually P$40.

NOTE: It’s a good idea to set the departure money aside at the beginning of the trip so you’ll be sure to have it when its time to leave.

Electricity: 220V ,60Hz

Electrical plugs

Both standard US plugs are used as well as The Europlug.

This two-wire plug is ungrounded and has two round prongs. This is probably the single most widely used international plug. It will mate with any socket that accepts 4.0-4.8 mm round contacts on 19 mm centers. It is commonly used in all countries of Europe except the United Kingdom and Ireland . It is also used in various parts of the developing world. This plug is generally limited for use in class II applications that require 2.5 amps or less. It is, of course, unpolarized.

Entry requirements

All visitors to the Philippines must hold a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond date of return and should also be in possession of a return or onward ticket. No visa is required for citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the European Union and the United States for visits of up to 21 days. Holders of Taiwanese Passports and Hong Kong Certificates of Identity will need a special entry permit. Citizens of these and other countries should check with the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate regarding visa requirements.

Health risks

Check with your physician for required immunizations and medications

Language

While there are over 100 regional languages in the Philippines, the national language is Filipino, with English as the most widely spoken second language. All business, governmental and legal transactions are conducted in English.

Recompression Chambers

DAN (Divers Alert Network) in the Philippines phone 02-815 9911  

There are 5 recompression chambers in the Philippines to treat decompression sickness

Manila ( Quezon City ): AFP Medical Center (V. Luna hospital), V. Luna Road , Quezon City . Contact: Dr. Jojo R. Bernardo Phone: 920 7183 and 921 1801 (local 8991)

Batangas City : St Patrick's Hospital, Batangas City St. Patricks Hospital Wound Care & Diving Medicine Center Phone: (6343) 723-8388 / Fax. (6343) 723-8388 Beeper: 150-611-169

Cebu City : Recompression Chamber Camp Lapu-Lapu Lahug / Doctor Memerto Ortega Phone: (032) 310-709 or (032) 312-325 / (032) 746-652 loc. 2625

Subic Bay : Recompression Chamber Subic Bay Freeport Zone Zambales / Doctor Lito Roque Phone: +(63-47) 252 2743 / 252 7052; 252 7566; 252 2751

Armed Forces of the Philippines Air and Seaborne Search and Rescue Facilities and Equipment Phone: +(63-2) 833 7546 / 911 79 96 / 911 63 85

Shopping

When shopping, especially in markets, it's worth trying to get a 10% discount - most Filipinos will aim for one. As a tourist you'll probably be quoted a higher than usual price anyway.

Time Zone: GMT/UTC +8

Tipping

Whether you tip or not is up to you. Restaurant staff will generally expect one, even if there is a service charge included. If you're catching a taxi with a working meter, round up the amount.

Visas

For most foreign visitors visas are not needed for stays of less than 21 days. Three-month visas can be obtained in advance and cost around US$35. Multiple-entry visas (lasting six and 12 months) are also available but are expensive and only allow for stays of 59 days at a time. Visa extensions are possible and generally faster to obtain in regional areas.

Weights and Measures: Metric

Source: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/south_east_asia/philippines/
                   http://alltravelnetwork.com/philippines/travelinfo/

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