Philippines transport guide

Public transport

Metro Manila

LRT Lines 1 and 2: elevated light rail. Line 1 (Roosevelt-Baclaran), Line 2 (Recto-Antipolo). Fares 20-40 PHP. Crowded during peak hours.
MRT Line 3: (North Avenue-Taft Avenue). Fares 20-40 PHP. Dubbed the most crowded rail line in the world during peak hours. Service is prone to breakdowns.
EDSA Busway: dedicated bus lanes along EDSA (the main thoroughfare). Buses with oxygen-blue livery, 13-20 PHP per trip. Express and regular services.
Jeepneys: the iconic Filipino shared transport. Fixed routes, cheap (9-20 PHP), but no published schedules or maps. Operated by independent drivers.
Tricycles (motorbike + sidecar): for short neighbourhood trips. Negotiate the fare (20-50 PHP for a short trip within the barangay).
P2P (Point-to-Point) buses: premium buses on fixed routes (often mall-to-mall, or BGC-Makati). 30-80 PHP.

Cebu City

Jeepneys and buses serve the metro area.
MyBus: air-conditioned buses between Mactan Airport, SM City Cebu, and IT Park. 25-50 PHP.
Tricycles for neighbourhood travel.
No rail system (the Cebu Monorail project has been discussed but not built).

Davao City

Grab: the largest legal car ride-hailing app in the Philippines ^[1]. Available in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Baguio, Iloilo. Car only (no motorbike option). Peak hours (rain, 7-9 AM, 5-8 PM) have surge pricing, sometimes 2-3x the base fare.
Metered taxis: abundant in Metro Manila. Flagfall 40 PHP, 13.50 PHP/km. Quality varies widely. Many taxis in Manila have non-functional meters; agree on a price before boarding or flag another cab.
Airport taxis: coupon-based at NAIA terminals. NAIA-Makati: 250-350 PHP (yellow airport taxi).
Angkas: motorbike ride-hailing app, legalised after a regulatory pilot. Available in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao. Significantly cheaper and faster than Grab in traffic. Only for two people. Use the app for legal booking.

Foreigners can drive on their valid home-country licence or an International Driving Permit (IDP) for up to 90 days after arrival.
After 90 days, you need a Philippine driving licence.
The Land Transportation Office (LTO) issues licences ^[2]:
Application: valid passport with valid visa (SRRV, 13(a), 9(g), or other long-term visa). You can use a tourist visa for a student permit, but not for a full licence in many cases.
Student Permit: valid 1 year, requires passing a written exam. Allows driving under supervision.
Non-Professional Licence: requires Student Permit held for at least 1 month, practical driving test. Covers private vehicles.
Conversion: select countries (US, UK, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Germany, France) can convert their licence directly. No practical test, just the written exam.
Licence is valid for up to 5 years or visa validity, whichever is shorter.
Driving on the right.

Buying a car: cars are expensive in the Philippines due to import duties and excise taxes under the TRAIN Law (10-50% excise tax + 12% VAT + import duty). A new Toyota Vios (entry-level sedan) starts at about 700,000-800,000 PHP (12,000-14,000 EUR). A Honda Civic 1.2-1.8 million PHP.
Buying a motorbike: Honda Beat, Yamaha Mio (115cc) ~60,000-80,000 PHP (1,040-1,400 EUR). Second-hand: 20,000-50,000 PHP.
Importing a car: extremely expensive due to taxes and the Certificate of Payment (COP) from the Bureau of Customs. Not recommended.
Insurance: compulsory third-party (CTPL) included in the vehicle registration (about 700 PHP/year). Comprehensive: 10,000-30,000 PHP/year for a standard sedan.
Registration: LTO handles registration. Valid for 3 years for new vehicles, then renewed annually. Carry the Certificate of Registration (CR) and Official Receipt (OR) in the vehicle.

Manila traffic is among the worst in the world. Average speed on EDSA during peak hours is below 15 km/h.
Driving on the right.
Road fatality rate: about 10 per 100,000 population per year. Motorcyclists account for a significant share.
Common issues: aggressive driving, poorly maintained roads, flooding during typhoons, lack of street lighting.
The "Number Coding" (UVVRP) scheme restricts driving on certain weekdays in Metro Manila based on the last digit of the plate number (7 AM-7 PM). Check if your plate runs against your schedule.
Emergency: 911 (nationwide emergency).

Growing cycling culture since the pandemic. Many cities (Manila, Cebu, Davao, Baguio, Iloilo) introduced bike lanes.
Marikina City has the most developed cycling infrastructure outside of Manila. BGC (Bonifacio Global City) is bicycle-friendly.
Road cycling is popular; the Tagaytay-Nasugbu route is a staple for weekend rides.
Electric bikes (e-bikes) are increasingly common and do not require a licence if under the 250W/25 km/h limit.

Domestic flights: Philippines has extensive island-hopping flights. AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines. Manila-Cebu: 1.5 hours, 1,000-4,000 PHP. Manila-Davao: 2 hours, 1,500-5,000 PHP.
Ferries: 2GO Travel, FastCat, OceanJet for island routes. Manila-Cebu overnight: 1,500-5,000 PHP (seat to cabin). OceanJet Cebu-Bohol: 2 hours, 1,000 PHP. SuperCat and Weesam Express serve routes between Visayan islands.
Buses: inter-provincial buses from Manila to provinces (Cubao, Pasay terminals). Victory Liner, Bataan Transit, Jam Transport. Manila-Baguio: 5-6 hours, 500-700 PHP. Manila-Naga: 8-10 hours, 600-1,000 PHP.
Jeepneys as city-to-city transport: on the outskirts of Metro Manila, jeepneys connect to nearby provinces.

This page is not legal advice. Verify current requirements with LTO.