The Philippines aren’t the most complicated area of the world to call, but it does take a couple of steps to get from here to there:
- Enter + (or 011 if you’re on a landline) as the exit code.
- Next, enter the Philippines country code – 63.
- Now, select the area code.
- Lastly, add the rest of your recipient’s phone number.
For more detailed instructions on dialing a landline or mobile number, let’s take a closer look at what it takes to call the Philippines from the US.
How to call a Philippines mobile number from the US
Contrary to popular belief, reaching the Philippines from your US landline number is one of the easiest things you’ll do all year. The recipe? Use your exit code, dial the country code, add the area code, then punch in the rest of the number.
Here’s how to call a mobile number in the Philippines. ☎️
1. Type in the exit code
Almost every country in the world has an exit code (i.e. international access code) for calling abroad. Not only does it inform service providers of the desired call destination, but it allows the telecom company to bill you appropriately. Don’t worry, we’ll get to that later.
You can enter + for the exit code when calling from mobile or VoIP number. The exit code for the US to the Philippines is 011 if you’re calling from a landline.
2. Dial the Philippines country code
Country calling codes, sometimes called ISD codes, help to route international calls to a certain location. The Philippines country code is 63.
This number is next in line after the exit code, and should be entered without any pound symbols or asterisks. Just punch it in and keep going!
3. Punch in the area code
Speaking of punching things in, adding the area code is the next step of the process. The area code you need to dial depends on the part of the Philippines you’re calling, and will (hopefully) be supplier by your caller. 👀
An important distinction: not all area codes of the Philippines are three digits. Be sure to triple check the number before moving forward.
4. Add the rest of the phone number
You’ve almost made it! The last step on the list is to enter the actual Philippines phone number, which your contact has likely already provided.
When the entire dialing procedure is done, if you’re calling Manila from the US, you’ll have a string of numbers that look something like this:
+ (the exit code) – 63 (Philippines country code) – 02 (Manila area code) – 456-7890 (the actual phone number)
And just like that — you’re all done! If you’re calling from a mobile number, at least. Check out how to call the US from the Philippines if you’re looking to do that instead.
Now let’s look at the process used for calling someone in the Philippines that has a landline number.
How to call a landline number in the Philippines from USA
The dialing format for landline phone calls is pretty similar to the process for mobile numbers. But don’t worry: we’ll still walk you through the steps!
1. Don’t forget that exit code
Typing + is the easiest thing you’ll do all day. 💪
2. Remember the Philippines country code
Remember how we said the Philippines country code was 063? Of course you do!
3. Add in your area code
The area code you dial is directly associated with the Filipino region in question. According to recent data, some of the most common Philippine area codes are:
- 02: Manila
- 32: Cebu
- 74: Kalinga
- 82: Davao City
- 84: Compostela Valley
4. Finish up with the cell phone number
This is the lovely seven-digit number that your contact has (hopefully) provided to you.
When it’s all said and done, your phone screen should show something similar to this:
+ (exit code) – 63 (country code) – 32 (area code) – 3456789 (telephone number)
And congrats! 🎉 You’re all done.
How to factor in time zone differences when calling someone in the Philippines
The bad news: the Philippines are a whopping eight hours ahead of coordinated universal time (UTC). The good news: there’s only one time zone to worry about, Philippine Time (PHT). Depending on where you live in the US, here’s what you can expect.
- Eastern Standard Time (EST): Live on the east coast? The Philippines are 13 hours ahead of you (think 1 AM Sunday to your 12 PM Monday).
- Central Standard Time (CST): With a 14-hour difference, nobody is going to want your lunchtime call at 2 AM.
- Mountain Standard Time (MST): Most people in the Philippines are fast asleep during your 12 o’clock lunch break (3 AM).
- Pacific Standard Time (PST): Your noon lunchtime hour is the equivalent of 4 AM in the Philippines.
- Alaskan Standard Time (AKST): Here’s where it starts to get tricky: 12 PM in AKST is 5 AM PHT – 17 hours behind the Philippines.
- Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST): The Philippines are a solid 18 hours ahead of Hawaii, which makes 12 PM in Hawaii their 6 AM.
Time zones are complicated, even for international call veterans. ⏱️ Tools like Savvy Time are great for scheduling meetings in a pinch.
How much does it cost to call the Philippines from the US?
Sorry to be coy, but the answer is anywhere between a few cents to a couple of bucks per minute.
Every phone provider has a different set of rates according to the country, phone type, and format in question. If you don’t call overseas regularly, this may not cost you more than a few dollars per month. But if you call the Philippines on a regular basis, beware: you might be spending hundreds of dollars per month.
If you want to know the nuts and bolts of your current calling plan and its international costs, we definitely recommend getting in touch with your provider ASAP. But if you wanna minimize all of your calling costs in general, you’re better off learning more about OpenPhone.
How to minimize your calling costs to the Philippines
OpenPhone makes it easy to connect with contacts in the Philippines, offering competitive international calling rates that are just as transparent as they are affordable. Best of all, you can add as many phone numbers as you want to differentiate business calls from personal ones.
Here’s how it works:
- With OpenPhone, you get a Canada or US phone number (you can even port over your existing US or Canada number). You can even share your business phone number with your team.
- Access your new digits from a mobile phone, giving you two phone numbers. Use your new number on the OpenPhone web, mobile, or desktop app.
- Enable international calling and add credits to your OpenPhone account.
Hear that? It’s the sound of a better, streamlined, more efficient international calling process. If you want to learn more about this whole VoIP thing, we’d love to show you around.
Try OpenPhone free for 7 days to test the platform for yourself.
Check out our other guides to dialing internationally:
Call Australia from the US
Call Japan from the US
Call the UK from the US
An example would look like this:
+63 (country code for the Philippines) followed by the area code (such as 02 for Manila) and then the seven-digit landline number.
For instance, calling a Manila landline would be dialed as +63 02 3456789. This format ensures you’re correctly dialing to the Philippines.
