{
  "_license": "CC BY 4.0 — attribute SKETCH.WORLD (https://sketch.world) and link back if you use this data.",
  "_source": "https://sketch.world/philippines",
  "iso2": "PH",
  "name": "Philippines",
  "slug": "philippines",
  "updatedAt": "2026-07-12T18:48:30.556Z",
  "score": 63,
  "verdict": "go-plan",
  "confidence": "high",
  "subscores": {
    "advisoryConsensus": 66.66666666666666,
    "political": 40.81059496547326,
    "policeTrust": 38.520638,
    "health": 76,
    "crime": 91.30481700343296,
    "lgbtq": 90
  },
  "delta7d": 7,
  "advisories": {
    "disagreement": 0,
    "us": {
      "level": 2,
      "label": "Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution",
      "url": "https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/philippines-travel-advisory.html"
    },
    "uk": {
      "level": 2,
      "summary": "Normal precautions for most of the country; FCDO advises against travel to some regions.",
      "url": "https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/philippines"
    },
    "ca": {
      "level": 2,
      "label": "Exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories)",
      "url": "https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/philippines"
    }
  },
  "generated": true,
  "regionFlags": [],
  "health": {
    "notices": [
      {
        "title": "Global Measles",
        "level": 1
      }
    ],
    "vaccines": {
      "required": [],
      "recommended": []
    },
    "tapWater": "unknown"
  },
  "entry": {
    "visaNote": "",
    "passportValidityMonths": 0,
    "sources": []
  },
  "scams": [],
  "laws": [],
  "streetWisdom": {
    "summary": "Travelers frequently express anxiety regarding official government travel advisories for the Philippines, specifically concerning the southern regions. Official warnings highlight significant risks in the Sulu Archipelago and the island of Mindanao, citing persistent threats of kidnapping, insurgent activity, and terrorism as reasons to avoid non-essential travel or exercise extreme caution. While tourists often plan trips to popular destinations like Manila, Cebu, Siargao, Palawan, and Boracay, the primary safety concern remains the southern Philippines. Travelers looking for clarity on these specific high-risk zones often find that official government guidance remains the most concrete information available regarding the dangers of those particular areas.",
    "quotes": [
      {
        "text": "The US State Department recently issued a travel warning to avoid all non-essential travel to the Sulu Archipelago and through the southern Sulu Sea, and to exercise extreme caution when traveling to the island of Mindanao, due to continued terrorist threats, insurgent activities and kidnappings",
        "sub": "r/travel",
        "url": "https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/4gp2bv/current_safety_in_the_southern_philippines/"
      },
      {
        "text": "The government of canada seems to suggest that kidnappings and tourist crimes happen quite often.",
        "sub": "r/travel",
        "url": "https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/x5rfk3/safety_when_traveling_the_philippines/"
      },
      {
        "text": "I saw a post on reddit showing travel advisories and noticed the philippines is mostly avoid all non essential travel, with parts being absolutely avoid (Mindanao).",
        "sub": "r/travel",
        "url": "https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/comments/x5rfk3/safety_when_traveling_the_philippines/"
      }
    ],
    "generatedAt": "2026-07-12"
  },
  "localKnowledge": {
    "staySafe": [
      {
        "text": "Since the transition to democracy, the Philippines suffers from crime, corruption, and ongoing insurgencies."
      },
      {
        "text": "The Philippines has among the highest death tolls from natural disasters such as earthquakes, tropical cyclones (typhoons) and floods, as well as tropical diseases."
      },
      {
        "label": "The Philippines is quite low-income",
        "text": "unskilled jobs generally pay US$100-200 a month and even many good jobs are under US$500."
      },
      {
        "text": "Law enforcement:"
      },
      {
        "label": "Police",
        "text": "The Philippine National Police (PNP) is responsible for law enforcement for the country, and their officers are easily identifiable through their dark blue uniforms."
      },
      {
        "text": "All police officers have nationwide authority. Many can speak English, but this depends on where you are in. Many are easily approachable, but some are not well-paid and therefore corrupt."
      }
    ],
    "stayHealthy": [
      {
        "label": "Food and drink",
        "text": "Drink the readily available bottled water."
      },
      {
        "text": "If you must drink tap water (it is usually served/contained in a small to medium plastic bag), water in Manila, Cebu City and other major cities is usually OK, but it is recommended that you boil tap water for at least 5 minutes just to be safe."
      },
      {
        "text": "Bottled water is best purchased from within stores and sheltered eateries."
      },
      {
        "text": "Street food isn't so safe to consume in the Philippines, and hygienic standards are poorly enforced."
      },
      {
        "label": "Diseases",
        "text": "The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that a risk of malaria exists only in non-urban areas below 600 meters on the islands of Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro and Palawa…"
      },
      {
        "text": "Dengue fever is common in the Philippines and cases increase every year, so it is advisable to apply mosquito repellants and wear long-sleeved clothes whenever possible.…"
      }
    ],
    "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Philippines"
  },
  "recentHeadlines": [],
  "whatChanged": "The Philippines sketch score rose to 63 today, though the US, UK, and Canada maintain level 2 advisories and a global measles notice remains active.",
  "practical": {
    "plug": [
      "A",
      "B",
      "C"
    ],
    "voltage": 230,
    "drivingSide": "right",
    "emergency": {
      "police": "911",
      "ambulance": "911",
      "fire": "911"
    },
    "simAdvice": "",
    "cashVsCard": "",
    "tipping": ""
  },
  "lgbtqLegal": {
    "status": "legal",
    "summary": "Legal+ UN decl. sign.",
    "sourceUrl": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBTQ_rights_by_country_or_territory"
  },
  "receipts": [
    {
      "sourceId": "us-state",
      "url": "https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/philippines-travel-advisory.html",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "uk-fcdo",
      "url": "https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/philippines",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "ca-gac",
      "url": "https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/philippines",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "worldbank-political",
      "url": "https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/all/indicator/GOV_WGI_PV.EST?format=json&date=2024&per_page=300",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "worldbank-policeTrust",
      "url": "https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/all/indicator/GOV_WGI_RL.EST?format=json&date=2024&per_page=300",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "cdc-health",
      "url": "https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/measles-globe",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "wikivoyage",
      "url": "https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Philippines",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "reddit",
      "url": "https://old.reddit.com/r/travel/",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "unodc",
      "url": "https://data.unodc.org/datareport/hom-victim",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "acled-hdx",
      "url": "https://data.humdata.org/organization/acled",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    },
    {
      "sourceId": "lgbtq-legal-wikipedia",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBTQ_rights_by_country_or_territory",
      "observedAt": "2026-07-12"
    }
  ]
}