Skip to content
Makati
Menu

Money, SIM and safety basics for business visitors

Money, SIM and safety basics for business visitors

You may bring up to ₱50,000 in pesos without BSP permission. Foreign currency is unlimited, but you must declare anything over US$10,000. To get a Philippine SIM, register it with your passport. A tourist SIM is valid for 30 days. In an emergency, dial 911. The tourism hotline is 151-TOUR.

AI-written, source-cited checked

Before you land: eTravel

NAIA's passenger guide says that all arriving passengers, Filipino and foreign, must register on eTravel at etravel.gov.ph within 72 hours before leaving for the Philippines. Registering is free, and so is the currency declaration form described below.

Bringing money in and out

These rules come from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank, in its FAQ dated March 2026:

  • Philippine pesos: each person may bring in or take out up to ₱50,000 freely. Anything above that needs written BSP authorisation obtained before you travel, and you must declare the whole amount. The BSP only gives that authorisation for a few purposes: currency collecting, currency awareness, and testing money-counting machines. For a business or leisure trip, it says to bring up to ₱50,000 in pesos and the rest in foreign currency.
  • Foreign currency (cash and bearer instruments such as traveller's cheques): there is no upper limit, but if you carry more than US$10,000 or the equivalent, you must declare the whole amount.
  • How to declare: use the Currencies Declaration Form. You can get it at the customs area of international airports, download it from the BSP, or file it online through the eTravel Customs System or the eGovPH app within 72 hours before arrival or departure.

We don't give exchange rates or bank fees here. They change daily and differ from one provider to another.

Getting a local SIM

Under the SIM Registration Act (Republic Act No. 11934), a SIM only works once it has been registered:

  • Visitors entering as tourists (visa-free or on a tourist visa) register their full name, nationality, passport number and address in the Philippines. They must show their passport, proof of address in the Philippines and a return or onward ticket showing when they leave the country.
  • A SIM registered as a tourist is valid for 30 days and is then deactivated automatically, unless you show the network an approved visa extension.
  • Visitors with other visas, such as resident expats, show their passport and proof of address, plus whichever applies: an Alien Employment Permit from DOLE, an ACR I-Card from the Bureau of Immigration, or school registration and ID for students.
  • The law says registration is free. Prices for SIMs and data plans are set by each network, so we don't list them.

Staying safe

  • Emergencies: dial 911. It is the national emergency number, set up under Executive Order No. 56 in 2018. Calls are free, and the police (PNP) and fire service (BFP) are the main responders.
  • Tourist assistance: 151-TOUR (151-8687). The Department of Tourism opened this line in October 2023 as a 24/7 call centre for foreign visitors. You can call it with questions or complaints about tourism accreditation, local policies, landmarks, events and travel agencies.
  • Taxis from the airport: keep the dispatch slip NAIA staff give you and don't hand it to the driver. It has the numbers to call about the trip.
  • In the Makati CBD: MaCEA reported in February 2022 that it had set up 24/7 community help desks in October 2021, staffed by MaCEA guards, barangay tanods or police, at Sedeño corner Leviste Streets in Salcedo Village and at De la Rosa corner Rufino Streets in Legazpi Village. We couldn't confirm they are still staffed in 2026.

Sources