Big Jim’s Philippines Experience

This is my response to Sonorous on Lonely Planet’s Philippines Forum, to the following question.

Hello -

Thanks!

I presume it is a visa card that will work with any ATM machine that accepts VISA.

I think this plan is just fine!

I have been using credit cards in the Philippines since 1994, including VISA and otherwise have been using ATM cards for at least 10 years. Mostly outside Manila!

I have no problems using them, but I plan my withdrawals. If I am going to an area without ATM’s, I get cashed up first. I also have a second card, just in case. In your case, your back up card could be your regular ATM card. Just let your bank know you will be using it in the Philippines before you leave home.

All ATM machines are not always online. The worst day I have discovered for being offline is Sunday as many machines have run out of money and are not restocked until Monday. ATM machines can also be off line to you sometimes, even if a Filipino can withdraw money because the link is down between the ATM and your bank.

The worst days to use ATM’s are the middle and the end of the month as that is when most Filipinos are paid. So, if you want to avoid long queues, try and avoid the middle and end of the month.

I presume there will be a fee if the card is used in an ATM machine. So, you will need to use ATM machines that dispense the most amount of money in a single withdrawal. HSBC is the best bank for this. Their ATM machines accept visa and dispense P40,000 in a single withdrawal, all in P1000 notes. HSBC is my regular bank for withdrawing cash. I use HSBC on C. Rosales avenue in Cebu City. Opposite Ayala mall and nearly opposite the Marriott Hotel. It has an inside ATM machine with a 24 hour guard. If the machine is running low on cash, they start dispensing their P500 notes, P20,000 at a time, instead. Otherwise, I am told that BPI now accept VISA. They dispense P10,000 at a time and have the largest ATM network in the Philippines. There are BPI ATM machines at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 in Manila. At terminal 3, you can still get money with your visa but it will be from PNB or RCBC who only dispense P4000 or P5000 at a time. That doesn’t mean you can only get P5000 and have to be on your way. You can keep withdrawing P5000 at a time until you have reached your daily withdrawal limit, set by the issuer of the VISA card. But will probably have to pay a fee for each withdrawal.

So you can use bank websites to find out the location of their ATM machines for the places you will be visiting, go to this page of my website which lists Philippines banks including PNB, HSBC, RCBC and BPI.
http://www.bigjimsphilippinesexperience.com/Money_atm_links.htm

Otherwise, these are my thoughts on safely carrying cash and valuables in the Philippines

- Dress down, do not dress like you are worth a million dollars.
- Don’t flash your cash
- Keep your valuables hidden. Do not have a necklace showing on the back or your neck that can easily be snatched
- Do not wear a bum bag, fanny pack or any other type of bag around your middle that will identify you as a tourist. In fact do not carry any type of bag at all, in the streets, for any reason. If you must carry a bag, make sure there is nothing valuable inside such as cash or passport.
- Keep your cash in front pockets that are zippered, velcro or buttoned. Keep large notes P200 and above separate from small notes P100 and below, This is because you will mostly be using P20 and P50 notes with the occasional P100 note but will rarely need the larger notes except for larger purchases. Then, any potential pick pocket will not know where on your person you main stash of cash is held.

I hope this helps!

Regards: Jim Sibbick

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