Is Manila safe? Travel risk overview
As of October 16, 2026, 4 governments publish travel advice for Philippines, and those using numeric levels all place it at level 2.
Official government travel advisories for Philippines
Four governments assess the same country independently. Levels run 1 (lowest) to 4 (highest).
| Government | Level | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. State Department | Level 2 | Exercise Increased Caution |
| UK FCDO | — | Warning FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Philippines. The FCDO publishes written advice rather than a numeric level. |
| Smartraveller | Level 2 | Exercise a high degree of caution |
| Global Affairs Canada | Level 2 | Exercise a high degree of caution |
U.S. State Department
Exercise increased caution in the Philippines due to crime , terrorism , unrest , and kidnapping . Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Exercise increased caution due to terrorism and unrest associated with ongoing insurgent activities in certain rural and remote regions of Leyte , Mindoro , Negros , and Samar . Foreign terrorist organizations actively recruit Americans
Smartraveller
Australian Government travel advice for the Philippines. Exercise a high degree of caution. Travel advice level YELLOW. Understand the risks, safety, laws and contacts.
Crime and safety indices
Numbeo indices are crowd-sourced perception measures for Manila; the UNODC rate is an official national statistic. They measure different things and are shown together for context, not as a combined score.
Health
Current CDC notices: Global Measles.
Health considerations for Philippines:
- Routine vaccines
- COVID-19
- Chikungunya
- Cholera
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Japanese Encephalitis
- Malaria
- Measles
- Monkeypox
- Rabies
- Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health. Vaccination needs depend on your history and itinerary — consult a travel health provider.
Natural hazards
Active GDACS events for Philippines:
- Orange VO — Eruption Kanlaon
- Orange VO — Eruption Taal
Recent seismic activity: 5 earthquake(s) of M4.5 or greater within 500km of Manila in the last 30 days (USGS).
Full assessment for Manila
This page shows published advisories and indices. A Secure Traveler assessment adds eight categories of analysis for your specific trip — crime, targeted risks, cyber, IP risk, identity and financial, transportation, embassy and emergency, and medical — plus an emergency card with local numbers, hospitals and embassy contacts. Three full reports are free.
Generate a free assessmentSources
- U.S. State Department — official advisory
- UK FCDO — official advisory
- Smartraveller — official advisory
- Global Affairs Canada — official advisory
- Numbeo crime and safety indices for Manila
- UNODC Global Study on Homicide (2021)
- CDC Travelers' Health — Philippines
- GDACS — Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System
- USGS Earthquake Hazards Program