Manila is a town of action, no matter where you are across the city, what time of day it is, there will aways be something happening. This is just a by-product of the high density living residents of Manila have grown accustomed. Manila is known to contain some of the most densely populated areas in the world; a certain part of Manila known as the Tondo district houses over 600,000 residents in that one area alone.
Unfortunately with these high-density cities have some drawbacks, especially when it comes to the field of public health. I would not classify the air quality in Metro Manila as being in the same league as some of the larger cities of China and India. But I’m sure that the consensus is that the air quality within Manila is often less than satisfactory.
This brings me to the recent hot topic of a blanket ban on smoking in public within The Philippines. Banning smoking is an issue which I both strongly agree with; though I have some mixed feelings when considering the context in which the new laws have risen.
The first issue is restricting people’s access to tobacco products, which this prohibition does not seem to address. I think that the ban should not restrict the individuals right in engaging in the act of smoking, as I feel that psychologically stable people should remain somewhat autonomous when it comes to choosing what they do to their bodies.
The issue the ban addresses is when unwilling individuals are forced into the detrimental act of breathing in cigarette smoke due to no fault of their own. I am happy for people to engage in this unhealthy habit as long as the adverse outcome is confined to the single party.
The issue the ban addresses is when unwilling individuals are forced into the detrimental act of breathing in cigarette smoke due to no fault of their own. Simply walking past a mall or office building can leave you having to breathe in clouds of tobacco smoke from staff standing outside during their breaks. I have no problems with individuals engaging in this unhealthy habit as long as the negative outcome is confined to the individual.
So when it comes to public health, the ban seems like a step in the right direction. Though I feel like the smoking ban can be seen as low-hanging fruit. Especially when it comes to the bigger issue of making improvements to the quality of air inhaled by residents of the countries larger cities such as Manila and Cebu.
I am supportive of any effort to positively impact the health of the public. But an aggressive push against cigarette smoke polluting our air should be partnered with an equal, if not more aggressive push against bigger sources of air pollution within our cities such as vehicle exhaust and heavy industry.
Is the goal based on encroaching on the liberties of tobacco users in the country or is there a much bigger end goal of improving the health of the general public by minimizing the presence of toxic particles in the air?
Eradicating cigarette smoke is a win although very minor when it comes to the goal of improving the lives of citizens of The Philippines. Hope lies in this move being a step towards more significant action in improving conditions within the countries thriving cities.
The Iglesia Ni Cristo captivated my interest the moment I caught a glimpse of their extravagant castle-like church headquarters found in Quezon City, Manila. The heavily fortified buildings often surrounded by high boundary walls and large iron gates, along with the unique, now iconic architecture radiates a feeling of mystery and secrecy.
Besides the obviously more dominant belief systems in the country such as Islam and Catholicism; It would be safe to assume that this is one of the more popular belief systems within the Philippines. Whether I was out in the provinces or traveling through metro Manila, I always seemed to come across the distinctive churches of Iglesia Ni Cristo.
When it comes to people’s beliefs, I can’t get enough. I love digging into these generally insular worlds and learning about what makes them tick. Naturally, I began asking friends about the church. I received a series of concordant responses all along the lines of, “I think that’s the church which takes 10% of your income”.
This spiked my interest as there seemed to be this meme related to Iglesia Ni Cristo, in which they maintained a level of influence over the allocation of the member’s income. I was actually raised in the Jehovahs Witness cult so this seemed to resonate with my experience with the church.
After a little research, I have found a series of external sources claiming they do require members surrender 10% of their income. This is contrasted by a series of internal sources all rejecting this persistent meme of mandatory contributions to the church.
Despite this being a persistent theme, there was no concrete information showing the INC forcing members to surrender 10% of their income to the church. Although this may seem to discredit the rumors surrounding the church, it does seem like a lot of the sources defending the church are somehow distorting the INCs method of eliciting funds from its members.
Despite my lack of first-hand experience with the church, it seems unusual that this has become a meme surrounding the church despite claims that the church is not engaging in the practice of tithing. I have a distrust of this style of organization, which has major parallels with the Jehovahs Witness and Mormon church.
I have no doubts that these organizations are generally filled with good, well meaning people, under the impression they are working towards something greater than themselves. In these types of organization, there is always an individual or group of people who insert themselves between these people and “God”. This becomes a basis for these individuals to appear as holding a kind of “divine authority”.
Despite the claims that members are not obliged to surrender 10% of their salary to church; I would not be surprised if another form of pressure existed within the church to elicit funds from the rank and file members. When the churches authorities portray themselves as delivering messages from god, controlling the lives of the members becomes a very straightforward exercise.
Due to my history, I have a deep distrust of these high control organizations. Although this is all just speculation, there is a clear visible framework which all these groups follow. If you strip these organizations down to their basic framework you can see that the Mormons, Jehovahs Witnesses, and Iglesia Ni Cristo are all basically the same.
Highly controlled information distribution, moderated by the charismatic seemingly benevolent intermediary group or individual. Create an “other” typically in the form of labeling aggressors as apostates in order to detract in credibility from their allegations. They often focus on the idea of an impending apocalypse or revelation in order to create a feeling of scarcity of time. This builds dependence on the “messenger of god” who will guide them through this time.
Although, I admit that this is all purely speculation; I think anybody considering becoming an affiliate of these groups should at least ensure they carefully weigh up the pros and cons committing to these organizations.
Recently I was having a casual conversation with a friend. It was a stock standard conversation, we talked about all the usual things like work and family life. Then she mentioned she had been to the hospital that morning to visit a friend. He had been struck down by dengue fever, so he was administered to the hospital for treatment.
As I am not native to the country, I was not familiar with the extent of the issue at the time. Though, it turns out the spread of dengue in the Philippines has caused some serious concerns. In 2015 there were over 200,000 reported cases of dengue fever, and it seems to be on the rise. There is at present no vaccine to prevent the transmission of this disease, the only solution, therefore, is to take precautions against the problem.
Dengue is caused by a family of viruses transmitted by the bite of striped Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. These mosquitoes multiply during rainy weather, but they can breed in any water-filled container the entire year-round. One mosquito bite is enough to cause the disease. And Dengue is an acute illness that typically follows a course of several painful symptoms and discomfort.
Once a person is bitten by the mosquito carrying the virus, the period for the development of the disease ranges from 5 to 8 days, but it can also happen over a period of 2 weeks. The signs of dengue start to appear in stages. In the beginning, these are in the form of chills, headache, pain in eyes, loss of appetite and a general feeling of uneasiness. There may be the pain in lower back.
The initial symptoms are followed by hurting pain in legs and joints. The body temperature can rise to 104 F(40 C), and heart rate along with blood pressure can decrease severely. Eyes can become reddened, and a flushing rash comes over the face and then disappears. Even the lymph nodes in neck and groin can become swollen.
The high fever and other signs of dengue as mentioned above last for a few days. This is typically proceeded by a sudden drop in body temperature – this is called defervescence. There is profuse sweating at this stage. Once again there is a small period of normal temperature, then the person may begin to feel better, but without any ongoing treatment, this is just temporary. Within a day or two, there is another rise in temperature, in which characteristic itchy rashes start to appear on the body. Then there is more fever which spreads to extremities to affect the whole body. The palms of hand and the feet can get swollen.
This fever is diagnosed when the patient complains of typical symptoms like a headache, eye redness, and heaviness, nausea, severe muscle ache and rashes. If someone has returned from an area where dengue fever had spread epidemically, he or she should consult a doctor even if the symptoms appear mild.
In many cases, it is not easy to diagnose dengue fever as its symptoms overlap with those of many other viral problems like West Nile virus.
Due to many painful symptoms affecting the body, the treatment for dengue is a long process; but as this is caused by a virus, there is no specific antibiotic to kill it. Hence the treatment largely comprises providing relief from the symptoms and signs of this fever. Plenty of rest and adequate hydration are prescribed.
To prevent the spread of dengue fever and being affected by its irksome and rather dangerous symptoms, it is important to safeguard your surroundings and keep them free of mosquitoes. Professionally provided treatments help here. Consult a pest control service in your area to take the measures.
There are no antiviral drugs to treat dengue. However, vaccines for Treatment are intended for maintaining proper fluid balance in the body and granting relief from the symptoms. Oral or intravenous rehydration is mostly used to sustain proper fluid balance. Blood transfusion is mostly prescribed to stabilize hematocrit.
There are no confirmed vaccines for dengue. However, work is in progress on a vaccine and for medications that target the dengue virus directly. Paracetamol is prescribed to control fever and reduce discomfort.
Prevention is sought by decreasing mosquito populace by eliminating the breeding ground and using pesticides and limiting vulnerability to bites using mosquito repellents and protective clothing.
This may come as a surprise to a lot of you, but I have to admit, up until about 6 months ago I had never tried actual buko juice fresh from a coconut.
When I was younger, I would always be given cans of coconut water to take to school with me. Sadly, it tasted disgusting, it was too bitter for me to even try to swallow. It tasted more like dirty water out of a puddle as opposed to fresh buko juice. So a lot of the time I would throw it out after 1 sip, maybe 2 if I was feeling adventurous.
After my early buko juice experiences, I had assumed that it just wasn’t for me; so I avoided it in my later years. Late last year I was on an island hopping tour out amongst the beautiful Philippine islands. We stopped at one island where they were selling coconuts for only a few pesos, so I couldn’t turn it down. After trying the fresh buko juice, my whole attitude completely changed. Fresh coconut is in a whole new league compared to the manufactured coconut water.
After that eye-opening experience,buko juice became my default drink of choice when dining out. I didn’t care how impractical dealing with a entire coconut at a dining table was; the nutritious, delicious drink made it worth the effort.
After doing some reading, I also found that fresh buko juice also has some major health benefits. Researchers have found that the fresh juice has the same level of performance as major sports drink companies when it comes to keeping athletes hydrated. The buko juice also has many other major health benefits; it is able to assist in lowering your cholesterol levels and also bring down your blood pressure. It’s so rare to find delicious drinks which aren’t loaded with sugar and also provide these as well as many other health benefits.
So do not hesitate to help support your local farmers and stock up on the fresh coconuts. Enjoy some fresh buko juice as a treat and take part in an essential part of Philippine culture.
After an hour long motorbike ride through the mountains of Cebu, we were finally at Kawasan falls. My bottom had gone completely numb which amplified my joy of finally reaching our destination. We were dropped off at a car park surrounded by what looked like restaurants or some sort of convenience stores, which caught me by surprise. I had expected Kawasan falls to be a lot more isolated than that.
After chatting with the locals we found out that to get to the falls we needed to walk down a track behind the carpark. We were told that it’s a long walk to get to the falls (it was) so we began walking immediately; by that time it was late afternoon so we wanted to enjoy the falls before it was dark.
The walk along the track was heavenly. After being stuck on the back of that motorbike for so long I really appreciated being able to stretch my legs and enjoy the scenery. Along the side of the track was a stream flowing from the falls. The water was the bluest water I think I have ever seen. It almost didn’t look natural, even up close it still looked extremely blue.
After a long walk along the track, we passed what looked like a small power station operating off the water from the falls. Then, a short way up the track was our destination, Kawasan falls. The unusual part about it was the first thing I saw was not the beautiful scenic waterfall. This is because somebody felt it was necessary to build a hotel right on the falls. Somehow they managed to get approval to develop one of Cebu’s major tourist attractions into a commercial enterprise.
The onslaught of young men trying to sell us stuff on our arrival was overwhelming. The second we walked into the area we were surrounded by young men trying to sell us stuff. I was also being told we had to pay to put our belongings somewhere. I had a waiter asking us what food and drinks we wanted. Another guy was trying to get us to pay for a raft ride. It was just chaos, the complete opposite of what I had hoped for.
It made me feel depressed; I had hoped for a serene environment where I could relax away from city life for a while. But somehow they still managed to transform the serene environment into a method of funneling money out of its visitors. They had developed the entire shoreline of the falls so they almost had a monopoly on the place. If you wanted to put your belongings somewhere you had to pay them to use a table.
I was so frustrated by the situation, I was frantically thinking of how to get out of having to pay for a table to store our belongings. This is when I saw a small bit of land on the far side of the falls where there was no seating in place. It turns out this land, although only meters wide is the only spot around the falls not owned by the hotel.
I immediately pushed through the people trying to sell us a table and got clear of the hotel. I had found my way out of being coerced into paying ridiculous amounts of money just to enjoy the waterfall. Once we sorted out a spot to store our belongings the rest of our experience was really nice. We occasionally had a waiter venture over to us trying to sell us something but besides that, we were now carefree enjoying the beautiful Kawasan falls.
It still frustrates me to think a hotel was allowed to develop on a site like Kawasan falls. I feel like such a beautiful landmark should be left in untouched. Developing the site really takes away from the experience; I think a lot of visitors, like me, are there to relax not waste money on ridiculous things like paying for a table to sit on or paying to sit on a log raft.
I think that will be my first and last visit to Kawasan falls. Although it is a beautiful destination ruined by its commercialisation. The Philippines is full of plenty of other destinations waiting to be explored.
So I won’t dwell on the disappointment of my visit, I’m now onto thinking about what’s next?
My seat is reclined back as far as it will go. My shoes are removed and my fingers are already covered in a deep layer of cheesy Cheeto dust. I’m ready for what is going to be a 5 hour plus bus ride through the beautiful mountains of northern Luzon.
We were going to Baguio, the infamous mountain city many Filipinos travel to in order to escape the humidity regularly gracing the rest of the country. It was an easy decision to take the express bus over the conventional bus. For a little extra than the normal bus, the express bus offers complimentary drinks, snacks, and newspaper, a significantly shorter travel time and comfortable reclining seating.
The first half of the journey consisted of passing one lone volcano, which was exciting for a moment. Unfortunately, this was followed by hours of driving through relatively flat farmland. I tried to resort to eating to kill some time, but I had already eaten most of my food before we had left the bus terminal. The wifi on the bus was so slow that I just gave up on it. I would rather relax without using wifi than endure the emotional roller coaster that wifi was triggering inside of me. So I brushed the crumbs off my chest and attempted to sleep for the rest of the journey.
We eventually made it to the base of the mountain, which is when things got interesting. The bus had been driving fast up until that point, once reaching the mountains nothing changed. The driver seemed unphased by the fact that we were now on winding roads high up in the mountains.
The bus was constantly shaking heavily, while the passengers were clinging onto their seats to hold themselves still. Eventually the liquids I consumed at the bus terminal decided this was a good time to leave my body. The bus was shaking everywhere as the driver sped through the winding mountain road. I had to somehow make it to the cr on the bus without being thrown off my feet by the force of the speeding bus.
After waiting for a while, the bus finally hit a short straight stretch of road. I immediately stood up and dashed for the cr before the bus made it to the next corner. Once I got inside I realized using the cr was not going to be as easy as I thought. The toilet and most of its surroundings were covered in urine, so I did myself and those after me a favour and cleaned the cr before using it. Using a cr while the vehicle it resides in is powering around corners at high speeds is not an easy task. Though in the end, I made it back to my seat unscathed, mission accomplished.
A short time later the bus arrived in Baguio after about 5 hours of driving. The difference in the general atmosphere of the place was almost immediately apparent. The city is uncrowded and peaceful when compared to Metro Manila. The city is also surrounded by beautiful scenery, most of the major hotels overlook the city, giving guests nice views to fall asleep and wake up to.
I still look forward to the next time I can visit, it really is a beautiful city. The express bus to Baguio should definitely be the priority for anyone wanting to travel to Baguio. The extra fee is quite insignificant when you consider how much quicker the travel time is
Thinking back to a couple of months ago, I was laying in my hotel late one night, looking over google maps. I had to find another hotel to move to, as I was due to check out the following morning. Now, before I pick a hotel I have a figurative checklist I go through in my head to ensure the hotel suits my needs.
For example, the hotel has to be in a central location to different services I use each day. It also has to be in walking distance of good restaurants and public transport.
This hotel is situated right in the heart of Cebus business district. The Hotel ticked all the boxes and was also extremely cheap considering what it had to offer.
The first thing that caught my attention was that Parklane hotel was right next to Ayala Mall, one of the biggest malls in Cebu. As we use Ayala regularly, being able to walk there from the hotel was a massive benefit. Previously it took a 10-minute taxi ride to get there; now from Parklane Hotel, it was a 2-minute walk from the lobby.
The rooms themselves are at the level of quality you would expect from a cheap hotel. The rooms are clean, well maintained and had all the features you would expect such as cable television, air-conditioning, daily housekeeping, complimentary tea and coffee etc. Although it’s not a high-end hotel, they provide more than enough to make you feel at home.
At the time I was really focused on using a sauna at least a few times a week. When we were shown our room the porter mentioned to us that the hotel had a sauna in the gym. This got me excited as I had been trying to find a sauna in Cebu. Then I find out that the hotel I had booked contained a sauna.
I went to the sauna the following morning, as I wanted to take advantage of having it available to us. Now in That one area housing the sauna there is a range of facilities available to the guests. On one side you have a Restaurant offering relaxing dining out in the open air. The restaurant overlooks the pool, also available to all guests; then on the opposite side is a seating area where guests can relax.
Then there is the gym, this is open to the general public but is free for Parklane Hotel guests. Having a gym in a hotel isn’t uncommon but this was the first time I had seen it in Cebu. In the back of the gym was the sauna which is where I hung out most of the time. I was walking about 20,000 steps a day in Cebu so I wasn’t too keen on working out on top of that.
For the first day, we missed the breakfast buffet as we woke up too late. This turned out to be a mistake, the following morning we managed to make it down to breakfast on time. I then realized it was probably the best buffet breakfast I had seen a hotel offer.
The range of food there was on another level. They had every style of breakfast you could think of available there. A range of cereals, bakery products, salads, pancakes, meat dishes, fruits. I over ate there almost every morning, it definitely takes a lot of self-control when there’s such a wide variety of food available.
Basically, the Parklane Hotel has a lot to offer at a very reasonable price. It is now one of the few hotels which I check on if I find myself needing to stay in that area again.
If you find yourself venturing over to Cebu City, I would not hesitate to book a stay at Parklane Hotel.
As you navigate your way through the densely populated barangays of Manila, it is not uncommon to hear loud, delay laden vocals bellowing through the windows of local family homes. Filipinos also do not shy away from a challenge, you’ll often hear some vocally demanding OPM ballads, followed by a rendition of some 90’s R&B music such as Mariah Carey.
For many Filipinos, singing isn’t just a meagre hobby. The Philippines is known for producing some of the greatest singers in the world. This was highlighted when the world-renowned supergroup Journey – known for their vocally intensive music – recruited a Filipino singer to replace their previous frontman.
Karaoke is undoubtedly an integral part of the Philippines culture. Filipinos are brought up surrounded by singing. It becomes a normal pastime of everyday life. If visitors come to the house, they will all sing together, or if it’s a special occasion they will enjoy singing as part of the celebrations. No matter where you are around the globe you’ll find that in every home owned by a Filipino, you will find a karaoke system.
Many entertainment establishments in the Philippines joined the market with their own versions of karaoke machines. The karaoke industry is a lucrative market as the machines are used in gaming centres, bars, nightclubs, and karaoke establishments across the country. Because of the popularity of karaoke machines in the Philippines, many businesses made the move towards renting out their machines.
Karaoke booths are beginning to pop up all over malls in the Philippines
However, other than the usual karaoke machine seen and used by Filipinos, a new type of karaoke machine has been widely used across the country. Compared to the typical, bulky appearance of karaoke machines, these new machines are far more practical. These are the Magic Mic, which is a generic term used to define karaoke microphones. These Magic Mics have the karaoke system now built into the microphone itself.
One thing you may notice when singing karaoke in The Philippines is how often you will see images of famous locations used in the background of the screen. These companies have used the popularity of karaoke to boost the tourism industry in the country. They do this by showcasing famous locations around the country on their karaoke machines.
Sing like there’s nobody listening
I have found part of the popularity of karaoke comes from humiliating yourself in public. Belting out your rendition of Sinatra’s My Way is not recommended in the Philippines. The song is a means to either prove you have the chops to audition for American Idol or that you’re just dreaming.
While my experience was based on me and most of the others humiliating ourselves; I quickly noticed that anyone with the slightest bit of vocal skill can mildly entertain a crowd of enthusiastic drinkers.
Despite karaoke events being positives atmospheres; this atmosphere is sometimes ruined by fights, arguments, accidents and general negatively amongst families.
Though, karaoke is mostly an ingredient for an enjoyable night in The Philippines. If you are here for vacation, it is essential you schedule a visit to a KTV bar; immerse yourself in one of the modern-day cornerstones of Philippine culture.
As a side note, the term karaoke is often substituted with the term videoke. When you hear this don’t get confused – they both refer to the same thing.
As a little PSA for the uninitiated in Philippine history. The many references to the KKK you may see or hear are not what you think.
I still remember laughing as I passed the chain restaurant donning the name KKK. Obviously, I knew they weren’t advertising the American white supremacist group.
After asking a few people about it, I didn’t seem to get a complete answer on what the KKK was referencing. So, I decided to dive into the topic myself.
So who was behind the KKK revolutionary group?
It turns out the KKK is a historically important secret society and revolutionary group. Its beginnings date back to 1892 when anti-Spanish Filipinos decided to band together. The members had the common goal of gaining independence from Spanish rule.
Now the official name of the society was Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan. When translated into English, means Supreme and Most Honorable Society of the Children of the Nation. So it seems that shortening it to KKK or the Katipunan was a reasonable decision.
The founders of the group Andres Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa plus various others were mostly Freemasons. This meant that a lot of the organisational structure adopted by the KKK was borrowed from Philippine Freemasonry.
A lot of people associate the Filipino national hero Jose Rizal with the KKK. Although Rizal was not formally a member of the group; due to his being exiled to Mindanao at the time; he still remained a close affiliate with the KKK. The society had been created as a reaction to the La Liga Filipina organization being shut down, an organization in which Rizal was the founding member.
Members of the La Liga Filipina moved away from the organization when the realization came that the organizations’ peaceful stance would be suppressed by Spanish authorities. As these members moved to the KKK their aims were adjusted to the concept of an armed revolution against the Spanish.
The KKK had begun their work in preparing for the revolution over the course of many years. They had been working to stockpile weapons and build membership to their organization. These activities did not go unnoticed by the Spanish authorities, as they had begun to alert their superiors to possible anti-Spanish movements amongst the Filipinos.
Shortly after the Spanish became aware of the movement, they received information on the location of the organizations’ operations. Spanish officers arrived at the site of the Katipunan newspaper printing operations and made several arrests; this became the trigger for the Katipunan to stage their revolution.
This led to a series of battles across Manilla and into its neighbouring provinces. As a consequence, many rebels were killed or arrested and ultimately the Katipunan were subject to defeat. But this was only the beginning of the demise of Spanish dominance in The Philippines.
In the end, the movement worked to weaken the Spanish colonial power due to their frequent clashes. The Spanish were also weakened after needing to focus resources on fighting another war across the globe. After much resistance, the rebels were able to gather control over most of the countries’ territory.
In the end, the rebels were able to declare independence on June 12, 1898, in Cavite. After 333 years of colonial rule, The Philippines was finally able to declare independence from the Spanish.
As a side note, the Philippine hero Jose Rizal was killed as a result of these uprisings. At the time, Rizal was on his way to Spain. Word got out that a group he was instrumental in forming had begun to revolt against the Spanish. In the end, Rizal was executed by the Spanish after being convicted for treason.
One thing I have always said about The Philippines is that it’s an easy place to spend no money at all but it’s just as easy to spend a lot.
The Philippines still carries a reputation as being one of the best budget holiday destinations in the world. Due to it’s reputation I often find my self having this false sense of security thinking that I don’t need to think about my spending habits while I’m there.
Everything is so reasonably priced, what do I need to worry about?
This is until I check my bank statement, I’m quickly reminded that all those small purchases add up to something more substantial.
Once you account for dining out for meals, multiple taxi rides each day, maybe even sampling the local street food for a snack in between meals – It all adds up to a significant amount of money. Especially for those wishing to travel on a budget.
So in the article, I will talk you through some of the lessons I’ve learnt from my years spent travelling throughout the Philippines.
Manila is a sprawling urban environment which may be intimidating to commute through for the uninitiated tourist.
Budget transport in the Philippines
Jeepneys
For public transport, I usually try to avoid jeepneys as they are extremely uncomfortable due to me being almost a foot taller than your average Filipino. But if I want to make my money go further I don’t think twice about using a Jeepney.
When you could potentially be paying hundreds of pesos for a taxi ride around the city; paying a handful of pesos for a Jeepney ride seems like a fantastic deal for the budget traveller.
A word of warning – if you’re going to try jeepneys make sure you know where you are going, and ensure you’re taking the correct jeepney. Personally I feel if you are an inexperienced traveller in the Philippines I would stick to taxis or rideshare but if you want to save some cash jeepneys are always an option.
A habit I developed was always checking the local ride-share provider Grab before using any taxis. After being in a certain city for a while, you become familiar with what certain taxi rides should cost. You can then check Grab to see of the prices are more competitive, as Grabs prices do rise with demand, they can sometimes be more expensive than taxis.
Though, from personal experience, I have found their prices are significantly lower than what you would expect in a standard taxi ride. Also, Grab offers promos and referral bonuses, which can make your rides even cheaper.
Although now that Grab has a monopoly in the country, it is still good to have an alternative to using taxis. Having a variety of services to choose from is always a bonus for the consumer.
Another trade off with taking taxis is that you lose the security of using ride-share. With Grab you have a fixed price, and your journey is also recorded. When using a taxi, it is a good practice to note the details of the vehicle and ensure you decide on how you will be paying before the journey begins.
Domestic Airlines
Travelling domestically in the Philippines is generally quite affordable. There are flights between all the countries major cities throughout the day all at reasonable prices.
For those flying domestically you have the choice between the countries two main airlines – Philippines Airlines or Cebu Pacific. Cebu Pacific is seen as the more affordable airline but both airlines are usually quite affordable for economy travellers.
All in all air travel in the Philippines is quite straightforward. If you’re someone travelling on a budget I would suggest to look at Cebu Pacific. Although the airline does have a reputation for having significant delays which I have experienced first hand quite a few times.
Ferrys
For travellers serious about sticking to a budget, there is another alternative to travel the country. Ferrys are an extremely common means used by the locals to travel between the major islands.
There are ferries leaving daily from various major ports within the country which can take you to all the tourists hot spots, and at a fraction of the price of a plane ticket.
The major trade off with ferries is the time. Most flights within the country last ~1 hour whereas a ferry ride can take as long as 24 hours depending on where you are going. So for thoe visiting the country for a limited amount of time planes may be the better option.
This is a traditional Filipino food – Shrimp Sinigang. Filipino food is often quite simple but often very healthy and also tasty.
Budget for food in the Philippines
When it comes to buying food I can get a bit crazy, as I love to eat. I usually prioritize buying healthy food when dining out somewhere, which so far hasn’t really been a challenge. Traditional Filipino food is extremely healthy, and it is widely available at many different price points across the country.
The fact is the Philippines is full of so many cheap food options which won’t break your budget. The streets are filled with bakeries and BBQ stands where you can buy products for a few pesos. There are also lots of markets and srestaurants offering good quality food at a reasonable price.
Then you have the local favourite, the carinderia. This is a small eatery often ran out of somebodies home. Here you can find delicious, affordable filipino food, and BBQ. When visiting the Philippines dining at a Carinderia is an essential part of experiencing the local culture.
A warning about cheap FIlipino food
Although it may be tempting to always seek out the cheapest option you have to be aware that sometimes you’re getting exactly what you pay for. Occasionally food can be burnt or served in a very simple manner.
Some of the food may also be dangerous to eat, as some food is being sold out on the street you can not guarantee that the vendor has been meeting safe standards for handling their food.
Sometimes it may be safer to pay a little bit extra and go to the larger more wekll known restaurants where you can have a bit more faith that the food is safe to eat.
Budget accomodation in the Philippines
When it comes to accommodation I tend to gravitate towards mid-range hotels. I think a lot of people assume hotels in The Philippines cost a lot more than what they actually do. I tried renting a condo but when you factor in all the work to maintain it, plus buying all the products normally supplied by a hotel; it ends up costing about the same amount as staying in a hotel except it requires a lot more upkeep.
Really the Philippines has accomodation to suit every price point, it just depends on how comfortable you want to be. The Philippines is also completely covered by hotels, especially in the larger cities.
Due to the amount of hotels, it is quite easy for you to shop around for good deals. In some smaller cities you can turn up and negotiate a rate. Though, I recommend booking online in advance, especially in cities such as Manila, and Cebu. The Philippines is quite popular these days so to get accomodation in a good location you need to plan ahead.
So what should a budget traveller aim for?
If you really want to avoid breaking the bank your best option would be some of the new hostels popping up around Manila. Places such as Z Hostel offer clean, spacious accomodation, and all the modern ammenities you have come to expect such as hot water, wifi, 24 hours cafe, co-working space.
Z Hostel is very much suited to the more sociable, party going travellers. For a more relaxed stay I would look at Lub D in Makati. Lub D offers something for every kind of traveller, with modern, private rooms located in the heart of Makati.
The hostel has many different spacces to accomodate its guests. Theres a cafe where guests can relax with a coffee and something to eat. It also features a coworking space for the digital nomads, and a rooftop bar where you can socialise with locals and other guests while enjoying the amazing view over Makati.
Personally I love to book at the mid-tier hotels around Manila. A quick search on sites like Agoda.com will show you hundreds of quality, affordable hotels around the major cities of the Philippines.
I feel like the mid-tier hotels are still extremely affordable for your average traveller, but they still offer a comfortable experiencce for there guests in good quality rooms. I feel as if this suites travellers who still like their privacy and their own space.
I think as long as you avoid the older, extremely cheap places you cant go wrong. Older budget hotels and hostels tend to be unclean, you may find cockroaches and mosquitoes in your room etc. It really does pay to go for the better quality accomodation when visiting the Philippines.
Accessing your money in the Philippines
The Philippines is still very much a cashed based society. When you are in major cities such as Manila or Cebu you can get away with paying for things by card but once you leave these cities, you need cash.
Fortunately this isn’t very difficult as there are literally money changers, atms, and banks everywhere. You will not struggle to access your cash in the Philippines. My only advice would be to limit the amount of withdrawals you make as the fees can add up fast,
If you plan on visiting any isolated locations, you need to plan ahead. You will not have access to any banks so you will need to plan for how much cash you need and stick to a budget.
So the key message is – hunting around for better prices and negotiating is the key to living on a budget in The Philippines. There are so many bargains and cheap alternatives to your day to day expenses. It’s just a matter of putting in a bit of effort to find them.
