Frequently Asked Questions
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| Q: Do I need a visa to enter the Philippines? No, citizens from countries with diplomatic relations with the Philippines do not need a visa. A valid Passport is required and an outgoing flight ticket from the Philippines. Upon entering the country your Passport will be stamped for a 21 day Tourists Visa at the Airport's Immigration counter. You can extend your stay for 38 days and then in 59 day extensions until you reach one year. 11-12-07 I have been informed that Immigration now allows Tourists to stay up to two years. However, I have not found this information within the Philippine official web site. I will research this further and get the information updated. Then you must leave the country for at least one day and return to start the same process all over again. Those entering the country with their Filipino citizen spouse may stay for one year without the need of visa extensions. Q: What airport will I arrive at in the Philippines? The gateway to the Philippines is Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport. From the International airport the Domestic Airport (just minutes away) has service to all Philippine Airports. Mactan-Cebu is another International Airport and has several direct flight arrivals from many major cities. Q: Is there ground transportation from the airports? Yes, Taxi cabs, shuttles and private V-hire are all available from the airports. A V-hire is a sort of Taxi without a meter. Several V-Hire greeters will meet you as you exit the Cebu airport. You can then go to the V-Hire counter just outside the exit doors and pay and get your V-Hire receipt. Be sure to have small peso notes P50.00 and P100.00 available as most drivers do not have change. Q: Where can I exchange my money for Pesos? This can be done at your country's International airport that you depart from or at the Philippine International airports. There are also several money changers in the Philippine malls and many Hotels and resorts will exchange the money. Before leaving your home country check for the exchange rate. http://www.xe.com/ucc/ Q: Is the Philippines a safe place, what about terrorist? The Philippines tends to get a bad wrap from several countries as they issue travel warnings. There are problems from terrorist groups in the south from the Country's Autonomous Muslim Region of Mindanao. This area has seen troubles, but again it is only in small areas of Mindanao. The country is 85% Christian and less than 10% Muslim. Cebu and Manila are fine and far removed from Mindanao. Cebu City is a very safe tourist area. The only thing to watch for is the usual street crime you would find in any major city around the world. Some areas have pick pockets and I recommend using a money belt. Money Belts: Many TypesSave Big: Dress, Casual Money Belts, Waist, Neck Under Garment Styles. Q: Am I allowed to drive in the Philippines? Yes, Tourist with a valid Drivers License (written in English) may drive up to 90 days in the Philippines. After 90 days you must obtain a Philippine Drivers License. http://www.lto.gov.ph/dls_faq.html Q: Do I need to learn the language? No, but having some of the basic phrases may help. In Manila the national language, Tagalog is spoken. In Cebu the language is Cebuano. Most all Filipinos speak some English. It is the third largest English speaking country in the world. English is the business language of the Philippines. Most all store signs and restaurant menus are in English as are the phone books. Q: Does the Philippines have hospitals? Yes, all the major cities have hospitals and the rural province have at the very least emergency clinics. Check with your Health Insurance Provider before going to the Philippines to see if your plan will cover you in the Philippines. If not there are Insurance companies that will cover you while out of the country for short to long periods. PLEASE NOTE: Philippine hospitals require payment be made before services/treatment is performed. If you need emergency medical treatment you will NOT be treated unless you have the cash in your pocket. Even insurance may not get you the needed treatment. You are expected to have the cash and then go through the process of insurance reimbursement after you have paid cash and had the needed medical treatment.In the Philippines many poor Filipinos have the GOD insurance plan and that's called prayer. I'm sure many Filipinos have died because they had no money for medical care. Basically one could say "No money and you die". For those expats living in the Philippines I recommend you check out Blue Cross of the Philippines. They have an affordable plan and it is accepted throughout much of the country. They also have a NO CASH OUTLAY plan for selected hospitals and medical providers. Q: What about illegal drugs? The Philippines has a problem with Shabo a meth type drug. Anyone caught coming into the country with illegal drugs could face the death penalty. Q: Is the Philippines filled with prostitutes? No, but the major cities have a problem with prostitution and minor girls being forced into prostitution. Those convicted of having sex with a minor are given a life sentence. Many prostitutes work for a criminal extortion ring and they will scam the foolish tourist that takes a girl to his hotel room. Many tourists have lost all their money to these criminals and many more have ended up in a Philippine prison and some have been killed. The Philippines is NOT A SEX TOUR DESTINATION. If this is your reason for wanting to go to the Philippines find another country. Q: What kind of activities do the Philippines offer? The Philippines is comprised of 7,107 Islands. Many of these have spectacular beach Resorts known around the world. The Philippines has world renowned Scuba Diving sites, huge mountains to be climbed, caves to be explored and some of the best products in the world are sold at bargain prices. The major cities all have a great night life with several upscale clubs and restaurants. Sailing, fishing, golf and even casinos are all here. Q: Is it expensive to go to the Philippines? The most expensive time of year to fly into the Philippines is from December through February. Flights from the US west coast are inexpensive any other time of year. Cebu City Hotels and restaurants are very inexpensive. A night's stay at a Resort offering a beach, spa, tours and scuba diving can start as low as $50.00 and go up to about $250.00 depending on the Resort. A hotel can range from $20.00 and up. Meals are cheap and one can have a really nice meal at a nice restaurant for as little as $5.00 or at a less expensive place for $1.00. When you are ready to go to the Philippines Book your flight and hotel with travelocity.
Q: Are credit Cards accepted in the Philippines? Yes, all major cards are accepted throughout the country's major cities and ATM machines are available in all the cities. When traveling to the rural provinces it is wise to bring cash as ATM's may not be available and credit cards not accepted. Q: Is the Philippines a poor country? For all the beauty of the Philippines it remains a country developing from a third world economy. Poverty is a major issue in the country. Yet, the People of the Philippines are a proud group of very good people with a strong sense of family, religion and work. Q: Is the Philippines an Asian Country? Yes, despite the heavy Spanish and American influence the Philippines is a proud and traditional Asian country. Q: Is the Philippines an American territory? No, The Philippines has been an independent country since 1946. It is a former American territory, a former Japanese territory and a former Spanish territory. Q: Is telephone and Internet available? Yes, Land line phones are available in the cities and cell phone coverage is country wide. Nearly all the country has Internet access. Many hotels offer Internet service and the country is full of Internet cafes. Make and receive calls to ordinary phones with your computer. www.skype.com
Q: Are English television programs and newspapers available in the Philippines? Yes, there are several American programs to include CNN and FOX news as well as several American Movies and Prime time series programs. Many of the newspapers are written in English. Q: Is Cable TV available in the Philippines? Yes, all the cities have cable access. In other areas the Philippine's dream Satellite is available with nation wide coverage.
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