01Free
The 30-second card
Emergency · tap to call
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Water at restaurantsRestaurants usually serve drinking water free of charge.Source: U.S. Department of State · Checked 25 Oct 2026 ↗
SIM and eSIM
Prepaid SIMs, including tourist SIMs sold at airport arrivals, must be registered with ID before they work.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Apps locals use
Grab: book taxis and rides in the larger cities.Angkas: hail a licensed motorbike taxi in big cities.Waze: live traffic and navigation, handy when driving yourself.Google Maps: turn-by-turn directions and traffic in cities and the countryside.eGovPH: fill in the eTravel arrival form before immigration.GCash: pay by QR code in shops and restaurants; needs a registered local SIM.
Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Cards or cash
Mostly cashMostly cards
Step 2 of 5: Cash is used for most payments; cards are accepted in some places.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Philippines
Philippine Peso · ₱ · PHP
Keep coins handy in the morning, when drivers and vendors often refuse to break large notes.
HSBC cash machines allow large withdrawals without the usual foreign-card fee.
Pawnshops tend to offer fair exchange rates, but do not change coins there.
Avoid street-side money changers, which may hand over fake notes.
Collect Philippine Peso in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Mon, 30 Nov 2026 · Bonifacio Day Araw ni Gat Andres Bonifacio
Tue, 8 Dec 2026 · Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary Kapistahan ng Immaculada Concepcion
Thu, 24 Dec 2026 · Christmas Eve
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day Araw ng Pasko
Wed, 30 Dec 2026 · Rizal Day Araw ng Kamatayan ni Dr. Jose Rizal
Thu, 31 Dec 2026 · Last Day of The Year Huling Araw ng Taon
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day Bagong Taon
Sat, 6 Feb 2027 · Chinese New Year
Thu, 25 Mar 2027 · Maundy Thursday Huwebes Santo
Fri, 26 Mar 2027 · Good Friday Biyernes Santo
Sat, 27 Mar 2027 · Holy Saturday Sabado de Gloria
Fri, 9 Apr 2027 · Day of Valor Araw ng Kagitingan
Sat, 1 May 2027 · Labour Day Araw ng Paggawa
Sat, 12 Jun 2027 · Independence Day Araw ng Kalayaan
Sat, 21 Aug 2027 · Ninoy Aquino Day Araw ng Kamatayan ni Senador Benigno Simeon "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.
Mon, 30 Aug 2027 · National Heroes Day Araw ng mga Bayani
Sun, 31 Oct 2027 · All Saints' Day Eve
Mon, 1 Nov 2027 · All Saints' Day Araw ng mga Santo
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Philippines say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
Travel warning for some regions
Calm
Caution ●
Serious
Don’t go
Some regions differ, see the official page.
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Exercise increased caution
Calm
Caution ●
Serious
Don’t go
Level 2 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 31 Aug 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 31 Aug 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
Advises against all travel to parts of the country
Some regions differ, see the official page.
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 15 Jul 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 15 Jul 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Scams to know
Taxi robbery
Use taxis from a reputable company only, or book an airport pickup or hotel transfer.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗False accusation extortion
Be wary of strangers quick to offer friendship, especially to men travelling alone.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Routine shots, hepatitis A and B, typhoid; rabies, Japanese encephalitis for some. Malaria, altitude in parts.
Vaccinations
Be up to date on routine vaccines; hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid are advised for most visitors, with rabies and Japanese encephalitis for some.
Malaria
In some regionsAltitude
Altitude sickness can affect visitors in some parts of the country.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
04Travel layer
In the app: the travel layer
The travel layer
Read a country like someone who’s been there.
What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $487.1 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $4,171Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | integrated circuits, machine parts, gold, insulated wire, semiconductors (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 116.8 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 27.1 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 70.8 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 78.8%, Muslim 6.4%, Iglesia ni Cristo 2.6%, other Christian 3.9%, other 8.2%, none/unspecified <0.1 (2020 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2020 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 300,000 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlandsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | presidential republicSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +63Source: libphonenumber · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 25 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
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