Driving in PHIL

[osisgerd29 0]

Hi,

I am planning to go to the Philippines , just wanted to know if I can use my US Drivers license to drive around the country? Thanks for all the answers. Mabuhay hehe

[daleguthery 305]

Yes you can, but if you are planning on renting a vehicle, be prepared to surrender your passport until you return said vehicle.

[bendinlar 16]

A foreign dl is good for 90 days, or was when I was there.

I didn't have to leave my passport, and if they wanted to keep it, I'd find someplace else to rent from. I did have to leave a hefty deposit though.

On edit:

Driving in the rual areas, smaller towns is easier than some places(ahm, Manila), if you're going to a big city, might be better off hiring a driver you can trust, at least for a few days, till you can observe for yourself how things work there, if you've not seen it before, as traffic in some places makes even some of the best drivers say, "nope".

Edited September 12, 2016 by bendinlar

[Stevephoto 230]

On edit:

Driving in the rual areas, smaller towns is easier than some places(ahm, Manila), if you're going to a big city, might be better off hiring a driver you can trust, at least for a few days, till you can observe for yourself how things work there, if you've not seen it before, as traffic in some places makes even some of the best drivers say, "nope".

bendinlar is being very polite. The fact is that driving in Manila (and some of the provinces) is NUTS! I have been driving for 35 years--in New York City, The Jersey Turnpike, Los Angeles, and Honolulu---there is NO WAY I ever drive in Manila (or even other parts of the Phils!) Just my 2 cents.

[daleguthery 305]

bendinlar is being very polite. The fact is that driving in Manila (and some of the provinces) is NUTS! I have been driving for 35 years--in New York City, The Jersey Turnpike, Los Angeles, and Honolulu---there is NO WAY I ever drive in Manila (or even other parts of the Phils!) Just my 2 cents.

I agree. I would never drive in Manila. I -am- planning on renting a scooter when I go to Cebu in November, though. Places like Palawan, Boracay and Bohol wouldn't be as bad to drive in.

[B_J 2,752]

I never drive.

If we're in our town, we just walk outside and catch a trike. If we need to travel to different cities, we just rent a van. Either way, I just sit back and let somebody else do all the work.

[pinaypilot 3]

Hi,

I am planning to go to the Philippines , just wanted to know if I can use my US Drivers license to drive around the country? Thanks for all the answers. Mabuhay hehe

The answer to your question is yes. And although I would agree with the guys not to drive in Manila unless you're going on a road trip (e.g. Manila to Subic, Manila to Baguio, or Manila to Batangas), I would give you some tips if you still decide to DIY. :-)

We have number coding in Metro Manila which means you cannot use your vehicle on the following days depending on the ending number on it's plate.

Mon - 1&2

Tues - 3&4

Wed - 5&6

Thurs - 7&8

Fri - 9&0

In Makati (Downtown) we have what we call yellow boys, they would be waiting under a tree or any shady place with an eagle eye to catch the slightest violation they would see and either give you a ticket or ask for money. So if you're driving avoid Makati under any circumstance.

Other than that, practice defensive driving all the time. The jeepneys & UV vans will cut into your lane every chance they get. Private vehicles would change from one lane to another like it's a game. And most driver's don't use turn signals especially the buses. Avoid EDSA too if you can especially during rush hour or do not travel during rush hour at all. Enjoy the happy hour in your hotel's lounge. Waze "was" helpful when I was driving in Manila, I'm not sure if it still is.

Good luck! And I hope you enjoy your vacation.

[osisgerd29 0]

The answer to your question is yes. And although I would agree with the guys not to drive in Manila unless you're going on a road trip (e.g. Manila to Subic, Manila to Baguio, or Manila to Batangas), I would give you some tips if you still decide to DIY. :-)

We have number coding in Metro Manila which means you cannot use your vehicle on the following days depending on the ending number on it's plate.

Mon - 1&2

Tues - 3&4

Wed - 5&6

Thurs - 7&8

Fri - 9&0

In Makati (Downtown) we have what we call yellow boys, they would be waiting under a tree or any shady place with an eagle eye to catch the slightest violation they would see and either give you a ticket or ask for money. So if you're driving avoid Makati under any circumstance.

Other than that, practice defensive driving all the time. The jeepneys & UV vans will cut into your lane every chance they get. Private vehicles would change from one lane to another like it's a game. And most driver's don't use turn signals especially the buses. Avoid EDSA too if you can especially during rush hour or do not travel during rush hour at all. Enjoy the happy hour in your hotel's lounge. Waze "was" helpful when I was driving in Manila, I'm not sure if it still is.

Good luck! And I hope you enjoy your vacation.

Yeah, I heard about the coding lol

Thanks all for the tips and reminders. I'll keep them in mind. Godbless!

[Charlie_AnaLynn 2]

I go to the Philippines to visit my wife while we wait for the CR-1 to be processed and I drive there all the time. Cars and motorcycles with side cars (aka tricycles) are actually more courteous to sneak in, but watch out for the buses. They will barrel you down if you try to cut them off.

Whether it is in the city or in the province I HIGHLY RECOMMEND to get an International Driver's License. Besides the fact that it is more intense as you have to be very aggressive to drive in Manila because many people don't follow the rules...there are a lot of "traffic cops" hiding and waiting to catch you doing something wrong.

I drove several times in the Philippines without a Intl DL and I got stopped. It happened to me while driving in the city going from Makati to Quezon City where I was following Waze and it was updating too slowly. I took another road to avoid the traffic. One or two turns later I ended up going the wrong way on a one-way street. Of course there is no signage like how it is here in LA or most big cities in the US.

I got pulled over and I showed them my CA DL. They asked for my Intl DL. Didn't have one. They asked for my passport... I showed it to them holding tightly to it but they wanted to take it. I said NO! But my wife insisted and I gave both DL and passport. Later another traffic officer comes up and is talking to my wife holding my passport and CA DL...I am panicking. My wife explained to them that I'm leaving that night back to the states. After some convincing from my wife they let us go. Whew!

The next time I returned I had an Intl DL with me and I carry it with me all the time. It's pretty easy to obtain. You can get it from AAA where you fill an application and pay a small fee and it is good for one year. If you have other class DLs - I have a moto DL - it can be added to your Intl DL.

Good luck and stay clear of those buses!

[jannapalmer 10]

Also, be aware of traffic rules especially when you're driving in Metro Manila, particularly EDSA, like don't drive in yellow lanes or take service roads etc.. coz those police/traffic enforcers can be brutal with fines especially if they see you're a foreigner. Like when my USC husband would drive and get pulled over for some reasons, they would never give you a ticket but they would ask for as much as 6k. So better yet, find someone you trust, a local, to drive you around.

[Pythos1 24]

I'm an OTR Truck driver in the US. I've driven a big rig in 48 states and 2 Canadian provinces. I've been to the Philippines 5 times and never once did I even consider driving over there. The people are super friendly as long as they're not driving. When they are driving, they're crazier than New Yorkers. And the lane lines are only suggestions.

When a street with 4 painted lanes each way has 8 lanes of traffic going one way and 4 lanes of traffic going the other way -- and everyone is jumping back and forth all over the place -- that means I don't need to drive. I'll get a trike or a jeepney or a taxi, then close my eyes till it's over.