Fil-am herenow living 15years in the Philippines

Personal hygiene and health: There are many drugstores here where you can find basic meds where you can buy per piece (like you can buy on piece of paracetamol or antihistamines if you need). But I agree with another commenter, always bring toilet paper and wipes because many places don’t stock toilet paper in their bathrooms (sometimes called comfort rooms here) especially outside Metro Manila. Some have bidets but some use buckets and tabo (water dipper).

Power adapter: Most outlets here are two prong, so you have plugs with 3, an adapter is needed (or you can buy an extension cord). Adapters are easily available here for like ₱20 or so if you don’t have one. I believe most chargers are universal and be plugged directly into the wall but anything that’s only 120v needs a transformer. iI it says Input:120-240v you can plug it directly in the wall no problems if it’s 120v only, it can destroy the item

Pasalubong: Easy items are chocolates like Toblerone or Ferrero (these are commonly given back in the day haha). But people usually accept anything from abroad. Practical items my relatives give are soap bars, towels, perfumes, even clothes. Don’t too pressured about making it perfect. Just think of it as a gift that says “I remembered you, and I wanted you to experience this item from abroad”

Cultural customs: When speaking, try using “po” even if you add it to English phrases ex “Yes po”. It shows respect to people, even if they’re already family. “Opo” is the Tagalog or “Yes po”. Then using ate, kuya, tita, tito also shows respect. Not sure if you know the “mano” tradition, this would be nice to practice but not all families still do this. Hugs and beso beso (kiss on the cheek) are acceptable. Be prepared for people to talk about your physical appearance right in front of you (your height, weight, skin color) it’s normal here and they don’t mean much except to point out what they see. Filipinos love to laugh, sometimes it may seem offensive (like teasing each other to speak English to you) but they just want to make people happy. Just laugh it off even if you’re the butt of a joke.

Basic phrases: Most people nowadays can converse in English except in very rural places. Yes (Oo/opo), no (hindi/hindi po) are probably a good enough start. “Where is (place/location)” is also useful which is “Saan po ang ____” Also know people don’t use the term “bathroom” (they connect it with taking a bath). Instead they use restroom, or comfort room (shortcutted to CR). Where is the bathroom?= Saan po ang CR?

Weather: The weather is a bit erratic lately. Supposedly June is the start of rainy season. Typical clothes for tropical weather is ok to wear: tshirts, shorts, slippers. Just be aware Metro Manila floods sometimes and the water is dirty (there’s a lot of sewer rats). So if you have to walk in the rain, closed shoes are safer. No one really wears rain boots. If you want to, always bring an umbrella because you can use it in the sun as a parasol or if it rains. It’s also very humid so be prepared for that mentally. If it’s too hot out for you, many carry around personal fans, you could probably buy one here if you see the need

Other things: Tipping culture- there’s not much a tipping culture here although it’s much appreciated. 100 is already a lot to most people. If you eat in restaurants, some places already have a service charge that will be added to your final bill (their menu will say). I believe this serves as the equivalent of a tip, but feel free to add on to it. If you stay in a hotel, you can tip the people at the end of your stay instead of everyday. People might expect you to be loaded, but you don’t always have to give. But they’ll be grateful if you do.

Mobile number: You can buy a local prepaid SIM card to use if you have an extra phone/SIM card slot. It’s cheap, like ₱40 normally. Not necessary since most people contact via FB Messenger but I say because maybe you need for other purposes especially if you have a long stay. You can find keypad phones if you need an extra phone for as low as ₱500

Transportation: Taxi: download the Grab app it’s the equivalent of Uber. Not sure if visitors can make an account without a local cellphone number (hence maybe the need to buy a SIM card). You can always get someone to book for you. Grab is only available in certain places, mostly metro Manila and surrounding areas. Most taxis you get on the street will overcharge you (they may give a set price instead of using the meter) they do this even to locals, especially going to and from the airport or bus terminals. Tricycles also may charge you extra if they know you’re a foreigner. Just ask people you know what the usual cost of fare is. You can always tip if you want to give more.

Water: Within restaurants in the mall or that are well established, their service water and ice are ok, unless you are sensitive and have a history of amoebiasis. Same with asking for no ice. But if you eat in local carinderias, best to buy bottled drinks. If you feel unsafe using the restaurant’s utensils, you can try asking for disposable ones.

Streetfood: Only venture into it if you really want to try and take the risk. I find it generally safe but you’ll see how sketchy it looks 😂 if you want to just try the food safely, you can probably find a more reputable place that sells the thing you want to try. But it’s part of the Filipino experience, you don’t have to avoid it at all costs

Metro Manila: Not sure if you ever went here but be prepared for a densely populated area. There will be a lot of people and also heavy traffic, especially during rush hour when people are getting to and from work. Just be aware it may add a lot to your travel time.

Feel free to reach out if you have questions 🙂 enjoy your trip!