November 2017 -

For those visiting The Philippines for the first time, deciding what clothing to pack can be quite a challenge. The Philippines contains such a diverse range of environments – Cities, vast jungles, mountain ranges, and the tropical beaches – so deciding what to bring can become quite overwhelming.

Attire to suit the climate

It is important to remember that The Philippines is a tropical climate; meaning the weather ranges between hot and very hot. So wearing heavy materials is generally not an option if you want to have a comfortable stay.

Even if the temperature does drop, experiencing a day in the Philippines which doesn’t feel humid is rare. So, the density of the fabrics you wear makes a very noticeable difference. I feel this is an important point to keep in mind when packing for the Philippines.

The Philippines can also be a very wet destination. Between the months of June through to October, you can expect a decent amount of heavy rainfall. Despite this, the weather still generally remains hot and humid, so it should not change much. Although it is a good idea to keep a compact umbrella in your bag when you’re out and about as the weather can change quite quickly.

What to wear in the Philippines major cities

Most of you travelling here for the first time will be most likely be arriving in either Manila or Cebu. For the most part, the cities – especially around the business districts – are what you would typically expect from larger western cities.

The city blocks are filled with high rise offices and apartments. These are surrounded by streets filled with traffic as well as a sea of white-collar workers, college students and young BPO employees lining the sidewalk.

When I find myself in the city I will always wear long pants as well as enclosed shoes. I usually avoid shorts and light coloured fabrics as the city can be quite dirty sometimes depending on where you are.

I always wear enclosed shoes while in the city due to the terrain you may encounter. The Philippines is notorious for having some neglected infrastructure, including their sidewalks. It is common to find holes in the sidewalk as well as pieces of damaged concrete laying about; so enclosed footwear guarantees your feet stay safe.

I also recommend bringing a small towel with you when you are out and about in the city. It is quite common to see people cleaning their face due to sweat as well as the dust and fumes from city traffic.

So are there situations were you will need formal attire?

When visiting cities such as Cebu or Manila, you will notice that Filipino’s do dress quite well, although this really depends on which area in the city you are staying, in some areas dressing up may draw unnecessary attention to yourself.

When experiencing the nightlife it is best to dress up a little, some of the clubs do have dress codes, so you may be refused entry if you are not dressed to standard.
A lot of the churches and temples around the country have strict dress codes. The general rule to go by is to wear clothing which will cover your shoulders and knees

Locals on the streets in Manila wearing, this is a good example of typical street wear seen in Manila.

What to wear when travelling to the beaches of The Philippines

It is common for people to talk about the conservative nature of The Philippines. I have read many articles which talk about it being unusual for women to be seen wearing bikinis on The Philippines beaches. From my experience, this has rarely, if ever been the case.

For women, the dress code is almost identical to what you would see in most other western nations. Young women will generally wear a bikini or a bikini top with shorts. The older women will generally something a little less revealing.

For men the usual swim shorts are fine. It is common for men to wear rash vests while swimming as the sun can be quite intense at times.

When visiting beach destinations it is also highly likely you will end up going island hoping. This means it would be a good idea to bring a waterproof bag with you to avoid damaging your belongings.

Its also a good idea to bring sturdy footwear for navigating around the boat, and walking different trails around the beaches.

The Philippines is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, including Apo Island, found in the Visayas region of the Philippines.

What to wear when travelling to the mountains of Northern Luzon

Often the first thing associated with the mountains of The Philippines is the cold weather. When compared to the weather experienced by the rest of the country, this seems justified.

For those travelling to The Philippines internationally – especially from colder climates – you may not feel the same way. Temperatures in the mountains may range from the high teens to the low twenties. This is cold relative to the rest of the countries, but for some visitors, this temperature range may seem completely normal.

For the Philippine locals or tourists unfamiliar with the colder weather it is recommended to pack at least some colder weather attire. This means you may want to pack a sweater or a light jacket. Though nothing too heavy is really necessary.

What if I forget something?

The Philippines is famous for its mall culture. Whether you are within the major cities or out in the provinces you will be able to find a mall.

So if you feel the clothing you have packed is not suitable for the environment, then there are plenty of affordable destinations where you can find a wide range of clothing options to suit your needs.

It is also not worth loading your suitcase full of clothing, as every city has a launderette. A lot of the hotels also have a cleaning service for your clothing, so its really not worth bringing excessive amounts f clothing when those services are widely available throughout the country.

Timog Avenue in Quezon City is the heart of the cities entertainment precinct. Situated near the 11th World Scout Jamboree Memorial Rotonda, was the popular Ozone Disco which was opened in 1991 by Segio Orgaoow.

The disco – operated under the management of the Westwood Entertainment Company – was opened inside a building which had previously housed a jazz club named “Birdland”.

Disaster strikes inside Ozone Disco

The evening of March 18, 1996, was a particularly busy evening for the club. There were an estimated 350 patrons along with 40 club employees inside Ozone Disco. This was despite the club only being suitable for approximately 100 patrons; as well as having only been formally approved for a maximum of 35 persons.

The majority of guests that evening were high school and college students celebrating the end of their school year.

Shortly before midnight witnesses reported seeing sparks flying inside the DJs booth. This was soon followed by smoke; though most guests assumed it was a part of the clubs special effects.

“It was starting to get bigger,” she says. “People were starting to go out. But I noticed that a lot of other people didn’t realize that something was wrong. They were just there standing or dancing.

Shortly after the smoke began pouring from the DJ booth the electrical systems within the club shut down. A fire soon broke out, spreading rapidly across the ceiling.

It wasn’t long before the fire had engulfed the whole room. The guests began pushing their way towards the door. Though the harder they pushed, the harder it was to exit the building as the doors would only open inwards.

After the 4-hour long blaze ended, investigators found the bodies of victims piled down the corridor leading to the exit. The final death count was placed between 160 and 162 victims, the majority of victims being young adults.

Aftermath of the Ozone Disco blaze

Immediately after the blaze the Ozone Disco was described as a firetrap. The clubs emergency exit had been blocked after a building had been constructed next door; meaning the building had no proper fire exit installed.

It was also found that guards had locked the front exit to the club. They had assumed that a riot had broken out inside the venue.

Six individuals involved with Westwood Entertainment faced criminal charges after the incident.

The president of Westwood Entertainment, Hermilo Ocampo, and the corporation’s treasurer, Ramon Ng, were found guilty by a Quezon City trial court and sentenced to a four-year prison term, and fined 25 million pesos each.

The courts also ordered them to repay families of the deceased 150,000 pesos as well as 100,000 pesos to the those injured during the event.

Hermilo Ocampo, and Ramon Ng were found guilty due to their negligence in meeting standards set by the building code. They had failed to provide sprinklers inside the establishment, the fire extinguishers they had put in place were found to be defective.

The lone exit which had trapped the guests due to opening inwards also did not meet the standards of the building code. A former employee actually claimed that the inward swinging doors were put in place due to it being good Feng Shui.

A week before the 19th anniversary of the tragedy, the building which housed the Ozone Disco was demolished. All that remains is the memories left with the few survivors of that devastating evening.

Monthly Archives: November 2017

What To Wear On Your Trip To The Philippines