Essential Information

Accessing currency

The local currency is the Philippine peso. Occasionally, in tourist places or in establishments with frequent foreigners, US dollars are accepted.

 Cash

Many places do not take credit cards. You have the option to bring Philippine peso by exchanging before flying into the Philippines. You can also exchange currency in the airport and across the city through private currency exchange offices or in banks. They are often available in major malls. Near your accommodation, money changers are located on the 3rd and 4th floors of Robinson and can be exchanged safely. As of May 2022, the rate is about 0.4 pesos per yen.

 You can also withdraw money from ATMs using your bank (debit) card or credit card. Depending on the ATM, some bankcards have ‘Cirrus’ or ‘Interac’ compatibility that allows it to be used. Keep in mind that usually, the ATM as well as your own local bank will usually charge extra fees. If you use credit card to withdraw money, you also get charged for interest right away.

 Credit cards

If you have a credit card, you can try using it in many establishments. Keep in mind that many credit cards charge extra amounts of fees. Also, some stores will charge a surcharge when using a credit card.

 Mobile wallets

Increasingly used are ‘mobile wallets’ which works similarly as SUICA or PASMO cards in Japan where money is preloaded onto an account. The only difference is that these mobile wallets use an app. The most common are Gcash, GrabPay and Maya.

Communication

Having a phone for which you can access mobile data can help with your travels. Wifi are also generally available in public places but often requires email validation when signing up. You can consider buying a SIM card which is quite easy in the Philippines. Unlike in various countries, buying a SIM card do not require providing ID and other personal information or signing a contract. You can often get them at the airport or various stores. There is an area on the 3rd floor of Robinson Manila where there are many mobile phone shops (near the food court) where you can buy a mobile phone or a prepaid card.

 Smart and Globe are the two largest telco companies in the Philippines and each will have various promos, which can include various amount of texting, calling and data options. You can choose either.

 Prepare and bring a SIM-free mobile phone. You can potentially use your own phone if you remove your SIM card and assuming your phone can work in the Philippines. Depending on the telco promotion, the seller of the SIM can set up the phone for your purchased SIM. You can do it yourself by adding money (‘load’ or ‘charge’) to your SIM card and select a plan. There are countless new special promos that it is usually helpful to let the SIM salesperson set up the SIM card on your phone. Data plans of 50 GB can be at little as P1000. Some plans will have unlimited texting. Consider how long you are going to be staying and whether you might use your phone as a hotspot for your laptop.

Helpful apps

We listed the following apps which we think will be helping for your time in Manila. Many apps can be installed prior to flying to Manila.

Grab: This is an app for getting rides, ordering and also paying. Some of its function is detailed below.

Sakay.ph: For those who wants to try the local transportation including jeepneys and buses, this app provides suggestions for getting around Metro Manila

Google Translate: If you need help with translation, you can use its voice function to communicate with locals.

Google Maps: Metro Manila has a very confusing layout. Using a map app such as Google Maps will help you find your way around the city in case you are lost.

Moodle app: Learning materials related to the course will be posted using Moodle which most of you should be familiar.

Commuting to San Lazaro Hospital

Many of SLH-Nagasaki office staff use the Light Rail Train (LRT). The closest station to the Hotel Kimberly and Tropicana Suites are Pedro Gil station and Tayuman. You will get off at Bambang station (or Tayuman station). There are 5 stops with a travel time of about 20 minutes. The fare is about 20 pesos one-way. Tickets which are inserted on a slot entering the gate can be purchased at the station window. Make to take the ticket before leaving the gate.

 If you are going to use the LRT many times, it is cheaper and more convenient to purchase a tapcard (BeepCard). You prepay an amount of your choice. You can add more amount to it as the value decreases. As you use your BeepCard, the fare is automatically deducted from your load. You only need to tap and hold the card at the ticket gate when entering and leaving the station.

Also note as you go through the station, you will often have temperature checks (on the hand) and the security personnel will often scan your luggage through a luggage machine or inspect your bag visually. Most people beep through the metal detector but they rarely do a thorough check.

 Refer to the diagram below. There are four lines, LRT-1 (yellow), LRT-2 (purple), MRT (blue) and PNR (not shown). The closest station to the accommodations in Malate is Pedro Gil station. Coming from Hotel Kimberly, you will have to cross Taft Avenue and take the LRT-1 going towards Roosevelt (or Balintawak). Most LRT and MRT stations have separate entrance/ exits for each direction. Hence, you need to make sure you are entering the correct entrance with the correct direction.

As you take start from Pedro Gil station, you will pass through five station: 1) United Nations → 2) Central → 3) Carriedo→ 4) Doroteo Jose → 5) Bambang. You will get off at Bambang. Once Bambang station, you will need to cross Taft Avenue, turn right and walk along Taft Avenue. You will then turn left onto Quericada Street. SLH entrance will be on the right side of Quericada Street.

 As you enter the hospital gates, you might be asked your destination. Inform the security guards that you are going to the Nagasaki-SLH office.

 If you have a lot of luggage or a large number of people, it might be more benefit to commute using Grab.  There are many taxis around Malate. The journey time is about 20 to 30 minutes, and the fare is around 200-300 pesos, depending on the time of day.

 You can also consider using jeepneys but we don’t recommend using if you are not familiar with the routes. Jeepneys follow a route but each is independently and privatley operated and loosely regulated. Each jeep has varying quality in terms of safety and routes are not always followed consistently. The payment scheme is more complicated and getting off your stop requires you to be aware of where you are. If you do stay longer, feel free to ask one of the SLH-Nagasaki staff who can show you some of the most common routes. Riding a jeep is a unique experience in itself.

Visa extension

 If you plan to stay longer than 30 days, you can apply for a visa at the Immigration office. You can use LRT-1 and get off around Central Station (two stops from Pedro Gil station). You will have to cross from the station to the immigration office. You can also use Grab or Jeepney. See map below.

Left: Main entrance of the Immigration Bureau, Right: Visa application reception

After filling out the documents at the reception, you can submit your passport and pay at the window on the right. You can set up to pick-up your passport in a few days (about 3030 pesos) or pick up on the same day, which would be about 1000 pesos higher.

Since the office is busy and crowded, we recommend going to the Immigration office right when it opens at 8 am on weekdays. The duration of processing your visa is about 2-3 hours.